Dumbledore's Royal Screw Up
by Michael Cao
Summary: *ORIGINALLY OWNED BY CHIAKI21* What would you get if you had the Boy-who-lived as a father, a vampire princess as a mother, and the child of a Malfoy as a son? Total and utter chaos! Dumbledore, Ron, Ginny, and Molly bashing!
1. Making Choices REVISED

A/N- Hey guys, this is my first story, so I decided to continue another's work. The first thirteen chapters were written by Madrigal-in-Training. I will try to update every week.

Chapter 1: Life-Changing Choices- REVISED AND REWRITTEN 4/21/14

Harry could not even remotely justify any of his actions of the past hour. I mean, getting Mundungus drunk and then sneaking out of the blood wards to go meet Draco Malfoy of all people? Oh, he remembered. It was Draco Black now. He had renounced the Malfoy name, though it wouldn't be made official until this afternoon. I mean, he wasn't enemies since the truce they had made earlier that month, but still, they weren't exactly best friends. Maybe it was to distract himself from Sirius' death. Or get revenge on that manipulative fool Dumbledore and the Weasleys. He snorted. The supposed 'blood wards' were there for 'his safety'. He knew they had been esentially useless for a year, since Voldemort had used his blood in the rebirth ritual. It was a good thing that Voldie hadn't realized he could just strut in and capture him now.

It was times like these when he really wondered why he didn't just join the Dark Side. Oh yeah, Tommy boy was still out for his blood. Lovely really, how much Fate loved to screw with him. Unfortunately an inner Slytherin like him could only take so much annoyance before he snaps and tries to kill someone. He was Grey now, not Light or Dark. The Light was supposedly led by Dumbledork and his Order of the Fried Chicken. The Dark was led by his mortal enemy, Tommy boy.

Without looking either way, Harry continued his brisk walk to the corner of Magnolia Street, fortunately far away from the prying eyes of the nosy occupants of Privet Drive. In a smooth move that radiated years of honed dueling instincts, he drew out his holly and phoenix wand and cast a complicated glamour on himself and then transfigured his clothes into proper Muggle attire instead of the ratty clothes his dear uncle gave him. A minute later he removed the Invisibility Cloak and stashed it inside the pocket of his jeans, silently making a note to thank Draco for teaching him the glamour charms and removing the Trace on his wand later.

Now any Muggles who saw him would only see an unassuming tall, slender man with sharp facial features, straight eyebrows slanted in a challenging stroke, and sky blue eyes with only a hint of mischievousness hidden in its depths. His appearance was so plain that the people passing him couldn't remember what he looked like if their lives depended on it. He was no longer tall, gangly Harry Potter with the famous (or infamous depending on how you looked at it) lightning bolt scar. He was Daniel Radcliffe, a budding Muggleborn wizard who was also an actor recently visiting his home country after a year in the States filming adventure movies. (A/N- The real Daniel Radcliffe appears later)

After giving himself a small approving smile for the successful charm, he turned and Apparated straight to Diagon Alley, immediately feeling his body relax as the magic in the streets tingled with his core. He loved this feeling, this attunement he had recently had with the excess magic around him after having his Trace removed. He felt more alive then ever now, instinctively knowing that this was where he belonged.

He was Harry James Potter-Black, scion of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter and Black. And most likely a few others, but he wouldn't know because he had forgotten to take a magical lineage test the last time he was here after school ended. He would have to remind Griphook, his account manager, about that as soon as possible. With a small grin on his features, he strolled down Diagon Alley to the large marble building down the street, feeling thrilled as he saw the Order members, none of whom who knew that he wasn't who he seemed. Not one of them could see through disguises after all. Well, except for Mad-Eye Moody but his paranoia of crowds made him avoid places like Diagon Alley like the plague.

His Muggle jeans and T-shirt did earn him a few curious glances, but no one bothered to stop and chat. In fact the mood seemed grim and rushed as people hurried to finish their shopping, the threat of the self-proclaimed Dark Lord hanging above them. But he didn't let this spoil his good mood although he did feel the urge to at least roll his eyes. For the love of Merlin, these people couldn't even say the bastard's name and yet they expected a sixteen-year-old boy to rid them of their worries? The same sixteen-year-old boy that they had virtually spent the last year ridiculing and calling a liar? He should just send a letter saying that he was leaving them to the tender mercies of the two Dark Lords. That would be a funny reaction to watch, but he would actually considering doing it, if not for the need to avenge friends and family.

Well they can bloody well go and screw themselves if they thought their shining Savior would just fly out of no where and save them from this hell. They dug the hole themselves; they could fix it without his help. Besides he had always been a Slytherin to the core and what self-respecting Slytherin would ever sacrifice himself for the Greater Good was beyond his level of knowledge. He snorted. Wizarding Britain was just made of a bunch of sheep led by a few self-serving arrogant Purebloods. Thank god Amelia Bones took over.

So with a cheerful tune he casually walked up the marble steps to the Gringotts bank, the goblin guards at the doors stepping aside immediately as they saw through the glamour and found one of their best and more importantly, wealthiest clients below. At least there was one similarity between Muggles and the Wizarding world that Lord-I-Think-Too-Much-Of-Myself couldn't disagree on. After all the Golden Rule was indisputable. The people with the gold rule. The Ministry was filled with those people, after all.

He found that funny for some reason, one of the many things that all humans had in common, an inner greed for wealth or power or fame. But he controlled himself as walked up to the nearest goblin teller, casually looking around to check whether or not anybody noticed he was actually Harry Potter.

"Good afternoon," Harry said cheerfully to the goblin, "May I please have a meeting with my account manager Griphook?" The young goblin, Goldfang, from his name tag looked slightly surprised that a man would know the name of a goblin much less be polite to them before looking closely at the glamour and widening his eyes when he recognized Harry Potter staring back at him. The face of one of the most famous and powerful wizards in the British Isles if not the world seemed to get him out of his stunned reverie and quickly to action.

"Yes sir," Goldfang said politely, "Shall I lead you to Griphook's office?"

"No thank you," Harry replied absently, checking one of Dudley's old watches that he had 'borrowed' to see what time it was. "I know the way there, myself. Thank you for your help though. May your gold run deep and your enemies die at your sword."

"And to you as well," Goldfang replied, smiling at the novelty of actually speaking to a polite wizard. Usually they just demanded their gold and walked away, treating goblins like they were servants beneath their notice. And honestly,they were supposed to be known as the barbaric race. But the wizards had tuned that to perfection.

Harry nodded absently and walked into Griphook's office, one of the largest in Gringotts, to signify that he was one of the managers of an important pureblood estate or in his case, two (possibly more by the next day) pureblood estates. The office was tastefully furnished, with expensive furniture made of a dark oak and several bejeweled daggers hanging on the wall. Harry paused to admire one, a bit longer than the others and dotted with emerald leaves at the hilt and a gleaming silver blade. A few minutes later though he heard the office door opening and turned around to see Griphook step in to the office.

"Mr. Potter," Griphook said warmly, coming up to the desk, and respectfully bowing to the young man, whom Harry returned, "It has been a while since I last saw you. How is the meddling old coot anyway? And the bookworm and her ginger haired boyfriend are fine as well, I presume? Oh, and how is the little she weasel?"

"They're fine Griphook," Harry replied, smirking. Griphook was a good friend of his as well as an excellent banker. The fact that he hated Dumbledore and thought Ron and Ginny were idiots also got him a few extra points in his book, as far as Harry was concerned. Ever since the goblins discovered how the headmaster was so kindly stealing Harry's money as "payment" for being his illegal magical guardian as well as illegitimately leaving Harry with the Dursleys each summer, although it specifically said parents will that he was not to go to the Dursleys made them much more wary of the falsely benevolent, grandfatherly headmaster.

He was actually the first goblin Harry had ever met, and the one who discovered how Dumbledore was disregarding his parent's will and disrupting his finances. The goblin wasn't happy with that of course but his rage couldn't compare to Harry's when Griphook told him. Hidden safely behind several magical shields and protection runes of course. I mean, Griphook was his friend but he wasn't stupid. Harry's magic had a tendency to… overreact when he was angry. And Griphook liked his head just where it was, thank you.

"You're still staying with the Dursley's though?" Griphook asked, concerned.

"Headmaster Dumbledore," Harry spit out, sneering at the title, "believed that I would be safest with my aunt and uncle for the summer, behind the blood wards that don't even work."

"After the blood ritual?" Griphook exclaimed, furious, "Is the man insane! The Dark Lord already merged with your blood. He could lead the Death eaters to your front doorstep in seconds! And there would be nothing you could do!"

"I know," Harry said simply, "But only until Sirius's will reading. That's when I'll reveal that Sirius already made me Head of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black before he died. And that I've already accepted the title of Lord Potter as well. Then I could move against Dumbledore's manipulations and demand back all the money that was rightfully mine before he stole it from me."

"Excellent," Griphook grinned deviously, showing all of his teeth in a victorious snarl, "I suppose that you would like to terminate the wedding contract between Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy then as well and bring your cousin Draco under House Black's safety? And terminate the marriage contract between you and the she weasel?"

Harry nodded once much to Griphook's glee. When he had learned about the marriage contract between his friend and a Ms. Ginevra Weasley, he almost lost it. Of all the things that Dumbledore had done to Harry, the illegal marriage contract was just going too far. His idea on how to fix this mess was to go capture the she weasel and kill her after long days of slow, painful torture. But Harry had wanted to take them by surprise and make the pain last longer through stopping the contract and threatening the girl. Now that he had waited and seen the genius of the plan, he was happy to have listened to Harry's advice at the beginning. This was going to be so much fun.

"You my friend," Griphook said happily, "Are evil. Pure, pure evil."

Harry shrugged casually and replied, "I blame Draco. He's the bad influence."

"I beg your pardon," an indignant, aristocratic voice said from the door as the tall Prince of Slytherin walked in, "I'm never a bad influence to anyone."

"Who do you think you're kidding Drake?" Harry asked, grinning at the childish pout on the blond teen face. A detached part of him wondered how he came to start calling Draco Malfoy, Drake of all things. How they had managed to become friends. Maybe it had happened after the end of fourth year when he had realized the truth and apologized to Draco? Or maybe it had happened when Draco accepted his apology and admitted that he would never have followed Voldemort because he, and these were his real words, "would never bow down to a filthy half-blood monster that willingly turned himself into a disgusting piece of living corpse."

But either way, it did happen and Harry was glad for it. Draco had long since gotten rid of his childish Lucius Malfoy persona and was an intelligent, witty person, just like his mother had been. True, sometimes he did become a bit of an idiot when he fell to old teachings, but for the most part, Draco was a true friend and a great cousin. His mother, Narcissa, had also contacted him, with a plea to end her marriage contract to Lucius, something that Sirius had tried to do for his favorite cousin but could not because he was on the run. Harry had immediately agreed of course and asked if she could wait one more month until Lucius's will reading, when he would destroy it. Narcissa was more than happy to comply, and Harry found himself getting to better know his clever, amusing aunt through secret letters that Draco would send.

"No one," Draco retorted, with his nose in the air, "I'm the most attractive, intelligent, athletic, charming, perfect role model that anyone could possibly have."

"I can't believe you managed to say that with a straight face," Harry said, and laughed while Draco smirked at him, "Why did you call me here, anyway?" At that, Draco quickly sobered and looked at him with deadly serious eyes.

"I need your help," Draco said quietly, "See… I wasn't an only child."

"You mean you had siblings?" Harry asked shocked, as he sat down in one of the leather armchairs and waved for Draco to sit next to him.

"No you idiot, I mean my mother had monkeys," Draco replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes at his cousin's stupidity, "Yes, I had a sibling. She was a couple of years older than me, one of my father's bastard children before he married my mum so we were only half-siblings. But my mother loved her and when she ran away from home and was disinherited from the family for marrying a Muggleborn, my mother still kept contact with her. But she and her husband died a few months ago, in one of the Dark Lord's random Muggleborn attacks. They had a child; a little boy who's seven years old, and I need you to adopt him. My mother can't, Lucius would never let her and I'm not of age to do so. I can't let him go to an orphanage though."

"But I'm not of age either," Harry pointed out, looking at his cousin thoughtfully.

"No, but you are a Lord," Draco interjected, "It's perfectly legal for you to adopt him. And besides your Harry Potter, no one would disagree because of your age. Or well, not to your face anyway."

"That's true," Harry admitted quietly, "But do you really think I can handle having a kid. I'm only turning sixteen in a month. I haven't even had a serious girlfriend yet. Not to mention I know next to nothing about kids."

"What do you mean, you haven't had a serious girlfriend yet?" Draco demanded, "What about Chang? And the she weasel?"

"Cho and I never actually dated," Harry, confessed, "It was just one random trip together to Hogsmeade. She basically just went out with me to know more about Cedric's death. She's still really in love with him. As for Ginny, we've never dated once."

"Really?" Draco asked, skeptically, "Then why did she tell everyone that you two were engaged to be married after you left school?"

"What?" Harry choked out, horrified, "Of course we're not getting married. She looks like my mum, for Merlin's sake! I mean, I loved Lilly Potter like a mother but snogging her exact look alike would just be too creepy for words. Besides Ginny's not in love with me as myself. She's in love with the precious Boy-Who-Lived. If I wasn't her precious Boy-Who-Lived and filthy rich, she wouldn't even think about marrying me. Believe me, I've been in her room at the Burrow, she even has a pair of underpants with my face on it!"

"Your face on her underpants," Draco repeated, shocked before he suddenly burst into laughter, "Oh, that's priceless! I wonder what she weasel will do when she learns that you're not going to become her fiancé."

"You can see for yourself," Harry informed him, with a grin, "I plan on telling her during Sirius's will reading. You'll attend of course."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Draco said with obvious relish, "I'll have to buy a pensive as soon as possible so I can see the memory over and over again. I'm actually relieved that you're not madly in love with the she weasel. It'll make my task considerably easier."

"Your task?" Harry asked, confusion momentarily covering his face before it brightened with understanding, "Oh, the one where you want me to adopt your nephew. Actually I think I will do that. I've gone trough the same problems when I was an orphan and I would hate for others to suffer with that."

"I'm glad to hear that," Draco said, with a smile, "But that's not all I have to do. My nephew, his name is Damien, will arrive in an hour but first I have to know something. Have you ever taken a trait-revealing test?"

"No," Harry answered puzzled, "But I was going to take a lineage test and evaluate over my finances today. Perhaps I can take a trait-revealing test as well. Will that be possible, Griphook?" The goblin, which had until then been sitting quietly at the desk and listening to the two wizards conversation with a solicitous look on his face, quickly got up when he saw that he had been asked a question.

"That would be no problem," Griphook answered, "We might as well get all of the work done today. And you can accept Lordship over your titles now if you prefer and then reveal your inheritance at the will reading. Will that be acceptable?"

"It would be perfect actually," Harry, replied, "Thanks Griphook."

"No thanks are needed," the goblin replied, waving his hand in a casual motion as two pieces of parchment, a long onyx dagger, and a small basin inscribed with goblin runes floated lazily to his desk, "As the financial manager of the Potter and Black estates, a very coveted job among the goblins you know, it is my duty to make sure every single one of your Gringotts business goes according to perfection. Now will you please hold out your palm so I can cut it? A few drops of blood are only needed."

Harry nodded and held out his hand warily. He still wasn't very fond of blood rituals since Voldemort's use of them during his fourth year, but he did understand the necessity of using them to get quick and accurate results. True to the goblin's words, Griphook only made a small shallow cut along the inside of his palm, allowing the blood to drip into the basin where it magically expanded to become much larger amounts of the liquid. The runes glowed briefly as the blood swirled in the basin before it suddenly stopped and the liquid turned pale silver, much like the wisps of memory used in a penseive. With a delicate precision, Griphook picked up one of the parchments and placed it on top of the liquid, intoning a couple of chants in what sounded like Greek or maybe Ancient Egyptian. A minute later the paper glowed bright blue and Griphook picked it up, and then performed the same procedure to the other piece of paper.

When both rituals had been done, the pale silver liquid in the basin suddenly disappeared with a small flash and Griphook picked up one of the papers to read it. A minute later, the goblin's eyes widened to the size of tennis balls, making a stunning impression of Harry's house elf friend, Dobby. If it weren't for the goblins strict nature in not showing their emotions often, Harry was sure Griphook's jaw would be hanging open now. As it was, the goblin still looked stunned.

"This is your lineage paper then," Griphook said calmly, when he finally regained control of himself, and handed the completely dry parchment to Harry. He looked at it curiously, Draco peeking over his shoulder to see the paper, so he felt it when the Malfoy heir's jaw suddenly fell on Harry's shoulder. But he couldn't blame him. The paper was shocking to say the least.

Harry James Potter "Pureblood"

Son of James Charles Potter "Pureblood" (deceased)

And Lilly Maria Potter nee Evans/ Desamond "Halfblood"(deceased)

Adopted son of Sirius Orion Black "Pureblood" (deceased)

Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter

Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black

Scion to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Desamond

Scion of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin

Scion to the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Ravenclaw

Scion of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Gryffindor

"Holy shit," Draco breathed, looking at the slip of paper in Harry's hand with awe, "You really are the heir of Slytherin! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it was a secret," Harry said, dryly, "So secret in fact that I didn't even know." He was still too in shock to do anything but make weak jokes about it. He had known he was heir of the Potter and Black Houses of course, and he had even suspected that the Potter's were distant relations of Gryffindor but this was utterly ridiculous!

"What does it mean that my mother is a halfblood?" Harry asked, looking up from the paper and shaking himself of his shock, "I thought she was supposed to be a Muggleborn. And what's the house of Desamond?"

"The house of Desamond," Draco answered, back to his usually smug, arrogant self, "Was a pureblood family whose line was thought to have died out during the War with Grindelwald. Now we know of course that it had just hidden itself in the Muggle world instead. Your mother was probably one of its last descendants and she was most likely adopted by the Evans family. From everything you told me about your aunt, they don't exactly seem to be like sisters, do they?"

"No," Harry replied, distracted by the happy prospect that the Dursleys really weren't his family, "But that means I've been going to the Dursleys each summer for nothing! The stupid blood ward didn't even do anything before fourth year because Aunt Petunia was never even my Aunt!" He sounded furious, and it was righteous fury too. He shouldn't have had to suffer all that verbal abuse, neglect, and complete malnutrition for absolutely nothing! Draco made a mental note to give the Dursleys a little "visit" later in the summer. They should learn just why it isn't smart to hurt the Head of House Black and therefore his cousin.

'That is surprising news," Griphook said, "And Dumbledore probably knew it too. There's no way that the head of the Light wouldn't learn about information like this. It's another thing we could use against him later. As for all of these houses, you could most likely claim them all now and gain considerable power among the Wizengamot. Each Pureblood house receives two votes and with these seats, you'll get about twelve votes. Add that to any current allies and you will have around thirty. It takes only a majority, about forty-six since there are forty-five active houses, to pass a new law you know."

"He's right," Draco, said thoughtfully, "You will have a lot of power. And from my knowledge if you accept, the um… offer and take up um... your other seats, you'll be the most powerful wizard, politically anyway, in the British Isles, if not the whole world. Not to mention that this new information also reveals that you're a pureblood."

"What offer? What other seats?" Harry asked, looking at Draco with interest as he dismissed the pureblood part. Figures that Draco would be satisfied by something like that. He may had relaxed on his views of exterminating all of Muggle kind, a rather impossible idea considering the mass destruction weapons the Muggles were so fond of, but he was still a pureblood to the core and this was no exception.

"What are you trying to keep from me, Drake?" Harry asked quietly. Griphook too, looked inquisitive with this new development.

"That will be a bit difficult to explain," Draco answered, "I think it would be best to read the trait-revealing test first and then I can explain. The seats I'll let Longbottom explain when it's time for the next Wizengamot meeting, since it's confidential information." Harry looked a bit unsatisfied with his cousin's elusive answer but decided to humor him instead and held out his hand for the piece of paper for Griphook to hand to him. Suffice to say, the results were a bit of a shock. Even more so than the lineage test perhaps.

Harry James Potter's Traits

Parseltongue (Partially blocked)

Magical Core (80% Percent Blocked)

Wandless Magic (Blocked)

Natural Occlumency Barriers (Blocked)

Natural Legilimency (Partially Blocked)

Animagus Form (Blocked)

Animal Empathy (Partially Blocked)

Mate Connection (Blocked)

Scar Connection (Unblocked)

Grey/Elemental Mage (Blocked)

Draco whistled when he read the list, which Harry wordlessly passed to him.

"Wow Harry," Draco observed, shaking his head at his cousin's expression, which resembled something between disbelief and moaning, "You never do anything by half do you? Your natural Legilimency is only partially blocked though so have you ever managed to look into anyone's head?"

"Only on Snape once, in fifth year," Harry said, "I was just really angry and it happened, you know? I got through several of his memories before he threw me out. By the way, what's up with the blacked out trait at the bottom?"

"You managed to go through Snape's head?" Draco repeated, in shocked disbelief, not hearing the last qiestion, "He's one of the best Occlumens in the world! You must be seriously powerful to accomplish that. Then again, you did manage to conjure a Patronus in your third year and you're the most powerful wizard in our year and most likely seventh year too. And that's with four fifths of your magic blocked. No wonder you managed to survive the dark Lord's killing curse. You're practically invincible!"

"I suppose," Harry said frowning as he suddenly realized something, "But who blocked my magic? If I had those Occlumency barriers I could have known that Voldemort had set a trap. I could have saved Sirius from falling into the veil!" Griphook exchanged nervous glances with Draco. Harry was furious… and his magic had a tendency to react when he became furious.

"Er… Harry," Griphook began cautiously, "I know you won't like this but… the magical signature on the blocks belong to Albus Dumbledore."

That turned out to be the wrong thing to say. Harry's magical aura became visible, a dark swirling vortex of emerald green and cerulean blue with small hints of a reddish black hue, that radiated anger and sorrow. Then a nonexistent wind appeared in the room, churning into a miniature tornado that made Draco duck under his seat, a good move because several of the enchanted daggers in the wall suddenly got the ability to fly and were rocketing across the room, narrowly missing the tip of Draco's platinum blonde hair and striking against the wall. Griphook frantically jumped to the left as a tasteful lamp on his desktop exploded with a flurry of wood and shards of glass.

Harry himself was in the center of it all, his aura scorching the ground below him as though it were burned with hellish flames, and his emerald eyes completely dark, the irises a midnight black shade that emitted feelings of rage and evil. The glamour that was still on him had cracked, showing a tall, slender teen with jet-black hair and emerald eyes that had darkened with righteous fury and barley restrained power like a fallen Angel of Heaven. Or a newly born Angel of Death. Draco had never been so terrified in his life.

"Harry," he shouted, gripping the desk in the side of the room desperately, "You have to control yourself! You're destroying everything!" But the words fell on deaf ears and Harry's power just continued to rage through. When the frantic blond teen had looked up though, he saw a slender figure at the doorway that nearly made him weep in relief. Thank Merlin she was here, now Harry could finally be calmed.


	2. Serena and Damien

Chapter 2: Serena and Damien *REVISED 4/21/14*

The stranger didn't move for a minute, she just stared at the angry teen, oblivious to the people around him in his fury, with an odd expression of fascination and wonder. Then in a move that Draco was sure, was the most stupid thing she could have possibly done, the stranger walked straight into the fray, toward Harry with a look of undisguised wonder still on her face. Draco was just about to call out a warning when he realized that strangely, the power didn't seem to hurt her at all, in fact the magic seemed to move apart so she could walk up to his cousin.

A minute later her palm was gently laid on his hand and Harry's magic suddenly disappeared, leaving the teen exhausted and sagging against her. Harry looked up; feeling an odd sense of warmth and, well there was no way to describe it but love, sweeping through him when she touched him. The stranger was beautiful, that was the first thing Harry's mind registered before he felt a blush suffuse his cheeks. He tried to get up, but the girl prevented him from moving and he was too tired to fight against her surprisingly strong grip. He did want to lie down though, something that the girl quickly helped him do, as if she knew what he wanted although she didn't seem happy about it.

When he had sat down he looked at her, noting the details in his mind in case he needed them later. She was pretty no doubt about that, with black hair, although it wasn't like his, it was more of a pure, pitch black. She was slender, with pale skin and long limbs, and exuded a dangerous aura that made shivers run down his back. Her eyes were what really caught his attention though, they were a warm lilac-red color that Harry doubted he had ever seen before and they were secured on him with a look of wonder in their depths. He wanted to ask her why she was looking at him like that.

"Are you two okay?" Harry asked instead, turning to see Draco helping Griphook get up from the wreckage around them, to avoid looking at the girl's odd eyes instead. He felt a vague sense of guilt as he saw the amount of destruction around them, caused by his volatile magic no less. He had to learn to keep a tighter reign on his emotions or next time it would be even worse.

"I've seen better days," Draco replied, his white teeth flashing for a smile, "But I am alive. Thanks for the help in calming Harry, Serena. Where's Damien by the way?" Harry heard his cousin speak with interest, turning his eyes toward the pale girl sitting casually across from him in one of the oak chairs that had managed to avoid destruction.

"So you must be Serena?" Harry asked curiously, looking at the stranger.

"I am," Serena answered with a smile, "And Damien is just outside. I can go get him now if you like." At Draco's nod, she quickly stood up and walked out the door, leaving a curious Griphook and Harry and a nervous Draco behind.

"Okay Draco," Harry asked, "Who is she? And how did she calm my magic? And why the bloody hell do you look like you'd rather be anywhere but here, right now?"

"Well, funny story actually," Draco stalled, "Um… do you remember what it said on the trait-revealing test? It mentioned that you had a 'mate connection', one that Dumbledore most likely blocked so you wouldn't get visions of your chosen mate."

"My chosen mate?" Harry replied, "Care to explain just what that means?"

"Maybe I should do that," Griphook interrupted, giving the grateful Draco a small nod, "You see, the Wizarding world has a lot of magical blood flowing through its veins because wizards have so often mated with magical creatures. Every magical creature, whether born or made or inherited, comes into its power at age fifteen. When they come to the power, they start getting signs of their chosen mate. Chosen by magic, that is. A chosen mate is what humans would call a match made in heaven or simiar to a soul bond. Now, not everyone can find his or her mate. But most do and through different ways. The Werewolves do so by scenting out their mate, the Veela do so my being attracted to their mate's presence and finding that there mate is immune to their charm. The Vampires establish a mental connection to their mate and start having dreams of them. It goes two ways for vampires. When a vampire comes into his or her power, than the person destined to be his or her mate also begins to get visions. Dumbledore blocked your visions, though, so you would never be able to dream about Serena."

"Wait," Harry interrupted, paling, "So Serena is my mate? And she's a vampire?"

"Yes," Draco answered quickly, "But that doesn't mean she's evil or anything. She just has to live on blood and has some other talents and weaknesses. Actually, you'll never find anyone more loving or protective or loyal to you in your entire life. In most cases vampires are even more protective of their mate than a Veela."

"So what would happen if I don't mate with her?" Harry asked frowning.

"Then I would die," a voice answered from the doorway and Harry turned to see Serena standing against the frame, staring at him. A small boy with the same platinum blonde hair and pointed chin as Draco stood a little behind her, peering out at him with the trademark Malfoy gray eyes.

"The I have to mate with you then," Harry said, scowling, unhappy at the prospect of being forced into a marriage.

"What's wrong with mating with me?" Serena demanded, walking into the room.

"Nothing," Harry answered truthfully, "But to be honest I barely know you. And my entire life as been decided by others. I just want to make my own decision for once."

"I'm sorry," Serena, said, sympathetically, "I'm being too harsh. It's just that I've waited so long to meet you… you have no idea what it's like dreaming about your haunted emerald eyes every single night and being unable to do anything about it. I wanted so badly to make a good impression on you. And now that I've finally met you it's like you're just automatically disregarding me. I guess I'm just stressed. It's not most days you find out that you're the destined mate and perfect match of the Boy-Who-Lived."

"I have to apologize for that," Harry replied, wincing, "I didn't think about how this would affect you. And being with me would just make everything harder because of the Chosen One rubbish. But why didn't you just visit me at Hogwarts?"

"I didn't know it was you at first," Serena admitted, "My dreams weren't very clear. I just kept imagining hauntingly beautiful emerald green eyes and then it just went blank. Draco and Narcissa have been family friends since almost forever I guess. He's like a brother to me, and when I mentioned my dreams, he immediately thought of you. But then I couldn't contact you because Dumbledore didn't want us to meet and he had placed you under guard all the time."

"Yeah," Harry agreed wryly, "Dumbledore's got an obsession with keeping his precious weapon of the Light under lock and key."

"That's why I asked you to come here," Draco said, turning to Harry, "I wanted you to meet Serena and try to adopt Damien."

"He's going to adopt me?" the small, seven year old boy asked, pointing toward Harry with a look of alarm. Damien's small chin quivered and despite how mature he was trying to sound, Harry could immediately see how afraid he was. He was just like Harry was at that age, trying to be brave when his parents had just died. He was probably terrified under that calm exterior and it nearly made his heart break to have to see that.

Once again, he swore revenge against Voldemort. No little kid should have to deal with this kind of thing at such a young age. No one should be forced to grow up that fast. He walked over to Damien and knelt on the floor before him, his emerald green eyes searching into those determined gray ones, and a small, reassuring smile on his face.

"Hello," Harry whispered to the boy, "My name's Harry. What's yours?"

"My name's" Damien said haughtily, with an accent that he obviously tried to mimic from Draco but didn't have enough conceit in him to copy it to perfection, "Is Damien Alexander Malfoy Williamson."

"Well Damien Alexander Malfoy Williamson," Harry said somberly to the miniature Draco, although his lips tried to fight a smile, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too," Damien replied, politely, clearly thrilled to be treated like an adult by Harry, and then added shyly, "You can call me Damien if you want."

"Thank you," Harry said, and smiled, "But then I insist that you call me Harry."

"Okay Harry," Damien answered happily and then looked curious, "Will you adopt me and make me your son?"

"I would like to," Harry answered truthfully, "But only if you're okay with it."

"I'm okay with it," Damien answered, looking relieved, "Will I have a mommy?"

"Um… well," Harry hesitated, and then turned to Serena who was watching the exchange with interest, "If you would like that then Serena would be your mommy."

"Do you mean that?" Serena asked, shocked, as she looked at him. When Harry nodded, a small smile forming in the corner of his mouth, she let loose an exited squeal and rushed into his surprised hands. Somehow Harry got out of his shock to return her impromptu hug and a moment later, a sheepish Serena was moving out of his arms although a silly grin was still on her face. One that Harry surprisingly matched in his own face as he let go of her. He was going to have a family!

"I like Serena," Damien said, happily oblivious to Harry's newfound happiness, "Are you two my parents then? Will I still get to see Uncle Draco? Are you and Serena married, then? Why did she just hug you, Harry?"

Harry grinned down at the curious child who would soon become his son of all things, "She just hugged me because we're happy that you'll become our son. You'll still get to see your Uncle Draco although you should never believe anything he says. Slytherins are notorious liars, you know."

Draco's demand of 'why aren't you in Slytherin, then?' went unanswered much to the young uncle's annoyance as Serena picked up a surprised Damien and settled him on her lap.

"No, we aren't married," Serena, explained to the boy, "But we'll be bonded soon and you'll move to your new home. You'll have to meet your new grandparents soon."

"Grandparents?" Harry asked horrified, "I have to meet your parents?"

"Don't worry," Serena said soothingly, "I'm sure my parents would love you. Actually talking about family matters, I sort of haven't mentioned everything."

"What else is there?" Harry asked sounding completely terrified as Serena blushed and hastened to explain.

"Um… my last name is Ramanov," Serena clarified looking a bit embarrassed, "And my father is kind of… royal."

"Royal?" Harry repeated, "like a second cousin to the king or something?"

"Um…no," Serena answered, "I mean he's the king of the biggest vampire clan in Europe. And by being my mate, you're automatically the crown prince. I kind of forgot about that last, little fact."

"Crown prince?" Harry croaked, horrified as Draco stifled a laugh, "You mean I have to take the throne someday?"

"Well not any day soon," Serena said quickly, "Vampires are immortal and when you bond with me, you'll become immortal too. And get some super strength, speed, enhanced senses, fast reflexes, amazing healing, etc. But yes, one day you might have to take the throne when Dad decides to retire and go do the same thing as his dad, and his dad, and so on and actually go live a life. It's not for another couple hundred years though."

"Not for a few hundred years?" Harry asked, looking calmer as Serena nodded, "Oh, well that's a relief I suppose. I wasn't sure that I could handle being the leader of hundreds of vampires so young, anyway."

'I don't know Harry," Griphook said thoughtfully, staying quiet up until this point, "Knowing what you're capable of, I think you can handle anything. I mean you managed to survive having a crazed homicidal killer and an obsessed manipulator after you for years. This should be a breeze after that."

"I'll take the fact that the crazed homicidal killer is Voldemort," Serena said casually, running her hands through Damien's hair although anyone could see the tension in her shoulders, "But who's the obsessed manipulator?"

That led to a short but through explanation of Dumbledore and what he had done to Harry throughout his life. If it was possible, Serena looked even angrier than Harry was although she managed to control her fury quite well. Draco though noticed a very tense moment when the she weasel and the marriage contract were mentioned. He smiled and leaned back in his chair as Griphook continued to explain. He really wouldn't want to be Ginny Weasley when Serena got a hold of her.

"And finally we saw that the mind blocks had Dumbledore's magical signature on it and Harry went momentarily ballistic before you came in and saved us all," Griphook concluded, "But we're still not sure how we can remove all the mind blocks. They're very powerful and Dumbledore has been renewing their magic at the start of term feast in Hogwarts each year. Getting rid of them without harming your mental capacity would be very difficult, nearly impossible really."

"So I either have to live with the mind blocks all my life," Harry asked furiously, "Or become mentally retardant?"

"Those aren't your only options," Serena interrupted, "When we bond, any trace of magic in you that's not directly from your core will be destroyed. Including what seems to be a mental connection you have to the Dark Lord through your scar."

"I won't have to go through those visions again?" Harry asked, ecstatic, "That's amazing! I have no idea how to thank you."

"You don't have to," Serena assured, giving him a pleased smile, "Vampires love to make their mates happy. If you're happy, then I'm happy."

"Yes, and I'm sure we're all such a big happy family," Draco interrupted, looking annoyed, "But Harry's been here for three hours already and someone has most likely started to suspect something by now. I can send one of the Malfoy house elves loyal to me to go and collect your stuff later but now you should just get the adoption ceremony over with and then take a portkey to one of the Potter or Black estates."

"Draco's right," Serena agreed, and started to gently shake Damien awake. It seemed that the little boy had fallen asleep on her when they had began talking. A minute later Griphook had procured a small ritual knife and a sleepy Damien had walked over to the front of the table where he was leaning against his soon to be father.

"Alright then," Griphook said quietly, "I'll make a small cut on all of your hands. I want Serena and Harry to squeeze a drop of blood each on to Damien's opened cut while I do the ritual. Damien will have to go through a momentary burst of pain when his body will take on some of his two parent's features. When I'm done he'll be your son legally, magically, and by blood so he'll look like you two, all right?"

They nodded so Griphook made a shallow cut along the base of their hands and began to chant in a low monotone. After a minute the language changed to English and Harry realized with a start that the goblin was speaking to him.

"Do you, Harry James Potter, agree to the laws of magic before you and claim Damien Alexander Malfoy Williamson as your son?" Griphook asked formally.

"Yes," Harry answered, without hesitation, "I, Harry James Potter, agree to the laws of magic and claim Damien Alexander Malfoy Williamson as my son. So mote it be." A bright flash of white magic circled Harry and Damien as he made that claim before it settled down into a soft silvery glow and Griphook turned to Serena.

"Do you, Serena Helena Ramanov, agree to the laws of magic before you and claim Damien Alexander Malfoy Williamson as your son?"

"Yes," Serena answered assuredly, "I, Serena Helena Ramanov, agree to the laws of magic and claim Damien Alexander Malfoy Williamson as my son. So mote it be." Just like before the bright flash of magic circled Serena and Damien before it settled into the soft silvery aura that Harry had around him.

"Do you, Damien Alexander Malfoy Williamson, agree to the laws of magic and accept Harry James Potter and Serena Helena Ramanov as your parents?"

"Yes," Damien answered with childish certainty, "I, Damien Alexander Malfoy Williamson, agree to the laws of magic and accept Harry James Potter and Serena Helena Ramanov as my parents."

"Then may your name now be Damien Alexander Potter- Black," Griphook concluded with a smile as he stepped away from them.

The bright magic flashed one more time, this time becoming almost blinding, around the three before it settled down and covered only Damien in a cocoon of light. Damien immediately fell to his knees with a small whimper of pain escaping through his lips. Serena tried to move forward to help him but Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her away as Damien went through the ritual.

It only lasted a few minutes in reality, but both of the new parents thought it had lasted years as they stood, paralyzed, watching their new son cry out in pain as his body underwent the transformation. Dizzily Harry wondered if this was how all parents felt when they were helpless to protect their children from pain. It certainly wasn't pleasant. After a while though the cries subsided and the magical light faded away to nothing, leaving a small boy curled up on the floor.

Harry felt his breath catch in his throat as Damien stood up, looking so different from before. He was still slender but he had sprouted up a few inches and had pitch black hair rather than the silver platinum. He had the perfect build for Seeker, just like his father, and his eyes had transformed into a vivid emerald hue and were almond shaped, just like Serena's. His mouth was opened a bit, enough to show small sharp incisors that hinted at a vampire origin and his features were vaguely aristocratic with a well-shaped nose and high cheekbones that would most likely make more than one girl swoon in the future.

As far as Harry was concerned, he was the most perfect child alive.

"He's wonderful," Serena breathed, voicing his own opinions as she reached out a hesitant finger to touch him, "My little prince is born."

"He's asleep," Harry, noted, crouching down next to her, to pick the small child up in his arms, "We'll have to get him to bed. Do you have a good destination in mind, Griphook?"

"As a matter of fact," Griphook said, searching through his desk drawers, "I believe Potter Manor will suite your needs perfectly. I'll have to make you a Portkey now because you haven't accepted your Lordship yet and the wards won't allow you to Apparate through them. Don't worry though. Any member of the direct Potter line should have no issues into getting into the house and the house elves will recognize you as their new master even if you haven't put on the Potter ring yet. You'll have to come tomorrow to accept all your titles and do the bonding ceremony the day after because we can't put it off. Sirius's will reading will be in three days so I suggest that you meet up with Serena's family tomorrow and have the ceremony in Ramanov Castle the next day."

"All right," Harry agreed, less than thrilled with the prospect of meeting his parents- in -law so soon although he knew that it had to be done. A minute later Griphook had the portkey ready and after getting an assurance from Draco that he would have their clothes sent to them immediately, the newly made parents touched the Portkey and left for Potter Manor in a swirl of pulsing blue light.


	3. Potter Manor

Chapter 3: Potter Manor

The minute they had portkeyed into lush, fragrant grounds, Harry discovered that Griphook was right when he mentioned that the house elves would think of Harry as their master. Within seconds of standing beneath wide, leafy trees that lined the stone pebbled pathway like a guard, with Damien resting comfortably in his arms, a small pop came from in front of them to signal the arrival of a house elf.

"Master Harry Potter sir," a young elf, wearing a miniature butler uniform made in tasteful shades of royal blue and silver with the Potter insignia on one shoulder, said, "You have finally returned home! And with a mistress and a little Potter too! I am Grant, the Head Elf of the Potter estate. Please follow me."

And with that the surprisingly literate elf turned around and eagerly trotted up the pathway and in front of the largest building that Harry hade ever seen. Potter Manor was easily three times the size of Hogwarts, and all tall spires and turrets that gave it a graceful, airy atmosphere. The building was made of large slabs of white stone and about six stories high with a couple of balconies that seemed to line both sides of the house. The windows were large and made of paned glass that seemed to have beautiful images painted on them. Grant stood in front of the large oak doors that were in front of the building and snapped his fingers.

A moment later, Harry saw the wide double doors open without the slightest sound, like shadows, and lead to a great hall that could have easily fit the entire Dursley house and still have room to spare. A wide walnut staircase was in the center of the room, and a plush evergreen carpet covered it. Just as Harry was admiring the room his stomach grumbled.

"Master and mistress must be hungry now," Grant said, without missing a beat, "Little master will be taken to the heirs suite and Tony will transform his clothes into pajamas, yes? I will lead you to the dining room and then Maria will bring food for Master and Mistress to eat. Then I will lead you to the Master Suite. Or would Master Harry and Mistress Serena like a tour of the house first?"

"Er… those plans sound great Grant," Harry said, exchanging a bemused glance with Serena, "Damien should be taken to the heir suite immediately then and the dinner sounds great but Serena and I aren't married yet and we would like separate rooms."

"Perhaps the tour should be tomorrow," Serena suggested, mirroring Harry's thought, "But how did you know my name was Serena. I wasn't aware that we had introduced ourselves. And please, don't call me Mistress."

"We already know your name because house elves can instinctively know the identities of their Master or Mistress. It helps them serve better and keep their loyalties to the correct people. And you are destined to marry our Master Harry so you're already considered the Mistress of Potter Manor although it will not be official until my Lord has accepted his titles," Grant explained, "Therefore the title of Mistress is yours."

"I'm just wondering Grant," Harry asked curiously, "Most house elves I know speak a jumbled version of English but your vocabulary is impeccable. And you also wear uniforms while most seem to wear tea rags. Why is that?"

The elves pointy ears drooped somewhat as he answered, "Most house elves have bad Masters and Mistresses. But the Potter elves have never had that. Lord Potter has always treated us kindly and with respect like we're family and they have earned our undying loyalty. I would rather die a hundred painful deaths, Master Harry, then reveal the secrets of the Potter family to an outsider."

"That commitment means a lot to me Grant," Harry answered, his voice genuine, "And I will try my best to make sure that tradition continues. Tell me, do you think I could offer two places here for some elf friends I have. They would love to work here."

"Of course, Master Harry," Grant said enthusiastically, "Any friend of Lord Potters will always be welcomed here. All you must do is call the elves here and offer them a job. Then they will bond themselves to the House of Potter."

"All right then," Harry agreed and laid Damien down on a beige couch that Grant had just made appear from another room. He felt a small, slender hand entwine around his and give him a gentle squeeze of assurance. Warmth flowed from the hand and filled him with love. Harry looked up to see Serena smiling down at him and he returned the squeeze, much to the vampire's clear delight.

"Dobby, Winky," Harry called out and a minute later two small pops sounded, and the oddest elf ever, complete with a tea cozy, nine different buttons, one of which said "Join the Dark Side: We Have Cookies", and two mismatched socks appeared, followed by a small figure, sobbing on the ground.

"Master Harry Potter, sir," Dobby said eagerly, bouncing on his feet, and looking up at Harry with adoring eyes that could rival even Serena's in how much complete wonder shined in them, "What can Dobby be doing for the great Master Harry Potter, sir today?"

"Well Dobby," Harry said, smiling down at the elf that challenged even Colin Creevy as his most obsessed hero-worship fan, "I was wondering if I could offer you a job."

"A job?" Dobby gasped, tears of joy forming in his tennis ball sized eyes, "A job working for the great Master Harry Potter, sir? I would love to!"

"That's great Dobby," Harry replied, trying not to laugh at the obvious enthusiasm in the little elf's face, and then added firmly, "But please try not to call me the great Master Harry Potter sir all the time, okay? And would you like a job too, Winky?"

"The great Master Harry Potter sir is offering the lowly Winky a job?" Winky croaked looking up at him with awe. Oh great, now Dobby managed to get Winky caught in this habit too. If he didn't watch it, he'd soon have a little Harry Potter fan club made of house elf members running around.

"Yes, I'm offering you a job," Harry said resolutely, "And I'm not all that great, really. I'm just an average guy-" And that was when Winky burst into tears.

"The great Master Harry Potter, sir is too modest," Winky said, sniffing, "He is giving a job to poor Winky even though Winky is a bad house elf. Winky doesn't deserve the great Master Harry Potter sirs kindness!"

Then the distressed house elf began banging her head against the wall muttering, 'Winky bad elf!' every few minutes. Harry stood shocked for a minute but before he could move at all, Serena had crouched on the floor beside Winky and was holding the distraught elf firmly to keep her from hurting herself even further.

"You're not a bad elf, Winky," Serena said firmly, looking the elf in the eye, "If you were a bad elf we wouldn't be offering you this position. We want you to be a member of House Potter, so stop hurting yourself!"

Winky rocked back on her heels, her tears and punishment momentarily forgotten at the level of intensity in Serena's voice. She looked up at her with a gratefulness that words didn't need to convey and Serena nodded in acknowledgement and let go of her.

"Now Winky," Serena said softly, looking directly into the elf's eyes, "We would like to have you join the House of Potter. Will you accept our offer?"

"Yes," Winky said, a little breathlessly and Dobby followed, as a small burst of bright blue light flashed around them and Harry than faded, signifying that the two elves had indeed bonded to the House of Potter.

"What should we do now Master?" Dobby asked Harry as the glow subsided.

"Well," Harry answered, and indicated that Grant should step forward, "This is Grant and he's the Head of all House Potter elves so you two should follow orders from him. Dobby, I would prefer it if you were my personal elf actually, so that I could have you carry out errands for me, if you don't mind. And Winky can e Serena's elf then. Do you two think you can go to Draco Malfoy's house, secretly so Lucius doesn't know, and get our clothing and other things? When you come back you can get the uniform with the Potter crest that the other elves are wearing. This is a uniform mind you, not clothes, so you're not being punished, okay?"

"Yes Master Harry," both elves chorused happily before they disappeared with a small pop. Grant just nodded in approval of what Harry had done before leading the silent teens to the family dining room and calling a house elf to take the sleeping Damien up to the heir suite.

"Your food should appear in a moment," Grant said quietly as they reached the dining room, "Please call me if you need anything." With that he quickly disappeared as well, leaving Harry to awkwardly look around the room in the hopes of not having to start a conversation with Serena. It wasn't that he didn't like the girl, but what do you say to someone whom you barley know but are about to be married to in two days?

"This is awkward, isn't it?" Serena finally asked, breaking the silence as she sat in one of the expensive chairs in the dining table, "I always expected to fly into my mate's arms and fall instantly in love with him the minute we met. It's just the kind of thing most girls of my age would dream for, you know? They always overlook odd beginnings and the fact that they might never get the chance to meet their mate at all."

Harry looked at her, the soft candlelight from the chandeliers falling on her pale face, making her high cheekbones and proud features seem softer somehow. She sounded truthful and youthful when she talked to him like this. More like the young teenager she was then the sophisticated, calm, and intimidating lady that she seemed to be.

"But you did get the chance to meet me," Harry replied, his tone as quiet as hers as he looked into her lilac eyes, "Did I not meet up to your expectations?" Strangely he felt desperate to hear her answer, to know what she thought of him.

"You're certainly different than who I thought you would be," Serena admitted, a small dancing at the edge of his lips, "But no, I'm not disappointed. Actually I was happier than I thought it was possible to ever be when I met you. You're so different from other people, strongest somehow then any of the boys I've ever met; yet you seem more vulnerable to. You've gone through so much, lost so many people, yet you still handled yourself better than many others would do. You're a hero Harry."

"For what?" he asked bitterly, looking at her with eyes filled with pain, "For living while others die? For making people get killed just because they're near me?"

"Oh Harry," she sighed, looking at him sadly, "Being a hero is continuing to live even when it seems like there's nothing to love for. People don't die because you're some cursed being that they need to run away from. They died because you're so precious that they would pay even the ultimate price to let you live. You have no idea, do you, what people think of you? Your valuable Harry, your life means just as much as anyone's if not more. And not just because you're the Boy Who Lived. Because you're Harry Potter, the most amazing guy I've ever met. And you're a complete idiot for not knowing that."

And with that she stepped forward and pressed her lips against his. The kid was small, chaste really, but quickly turned into something more passionate. Harry felt Serena's legs go weak; she leaned in against them as the kiss continued, glorious warmth and feelings of joy flooding through both of the teens. A minute later, Harry got a bit more control of himself and stepped away, immediately feeling an ache to have Serena back to him as the cold air filled in the space between him. Nervously, he cleared his throat to talk.

"Well I really didn't expect that," Harry said weakly, smiling at the slightly dazed girl.

"Neither did I," Serena admitted, breathlessly, laughing a little, "They all mentioned that it was so amazing and like fireworks were exploding behind you but honestly… I don't think that type of joy could be explained with words."

"I am more than just words," Harry quoted, laughing at Serena's surprised face, "It's a famous quotation by some Muggle writer. American, I think. So who told you what the kiss was supposed to be like?"

Serena began to answer and then turned her head as a flash of something caught the corner of her eyes. Harry followed her gaze and managed not to let his jaw fall to the ground, if barley. The house elves had really outdone themselves. On the table were a dozen platters of food, some of which looked foreign to him, and exuded a fragrance that made Harry try desperately not to let his mouth water. It was even more impressive than the Hogwarts feasts, with rare dishes presented elegantly like designs. One particular dish, of a castle made entirely of lettuce, complete with painstakingly carved tomatoes for flowers and a moat filled with salad dressing, looked so beautiful that Harry almost didn't want to eat it.

"I suppose our feast is ready," Serena said lightly, although even she sounded impressed with the kitchen elves handiwork as she smoothly pulled Harry into the seat next to her. He followed willingly, letting her deftly fill their plates, putting a bit of everything in it.

"So," Serena paused, smiling at him, shyly, "I know you're curious. Ask me anything that you'd like to know and I'll try my best to answer them."

"All right," Harry agreed, looking at her with a hesitant smile, "I wanted to know one thing first. Are you okay with marrying me? I know that being the wife of the Boy Who Lived would be difficult, with the Dark, the Light, and not to mention the entire Wizarding world after you. You'll have next to no privacy and in some cases; it's dangerous to be associated with me. I don't want you to get hurt because of that."

"Harry," Serena said, trying the name out on her tongue, "My Harry. I'm okay with what it takes to be the Boy Who Lived. I've known that it won't be easy; I knew that it might cost me my life, but you're my mate for a reason and that's because magic knows we're meant to be together. I can take care of myself; believe me, when you're born into vampire royalty like me, than you learn how to defend yourself. You and Damien have become my whole world in a matter of hours, and I'm going to be there for you no matter what. But I know that your problems now are demanding, and that you have to save all of Wizarding Britain. But I want to know if you can handle being a kind one day."

"Honestly," Harry answered gratefully, "Being a king wasn't exactly my first choice for a career, but I can get used to it and I would like to… to help you and your family."

"Then it's okay with you?" Serena asked, her smile widening as Harry nodded, "That's a relief actually. I could just see myself explaining to father how I cannot take and continue a scared family tradition because my husband to be doesn't like being known as his Royal Majesty. He'd kill me!"

Harry laughed, the tension between them breaking for a minute as the two teens enjoyed the joke. A second later Harry paused suddenly, and the young heir of the House of Potter and Black paled drastically as another thought hit him.

"Your father," Harry said wide-eyed, and with absolute certainty, "Is going to kill me."

"Don't be so dramatic," Serena chided with a smile, "No one will be killing anyone. Father will love you and Damien."

"Oh I have no doubt your father will love Damien," Harry said darkly, putting his head in his hands, "But he'll kill me!"

"Why in the love of Merlin would he do that?" Serena asked, exasperated.

"Don't you know?" Harry answered in disbelief, "Because I'm marrying his daughter!"

"Oh that," Serena said thoughtfully, "I'm sure he won't get that angry."

"Really?" Harry asked doubtfully.

"Well maybe he'll try to kill you," Serena replied slowly, "But he'll stop after a while."

"Yeah," Harry agreed, much to her amusement, "When I'm already dead!"

"Don't worry," Serena responded soothingly, "You'll be fine. But after we're done with the meeting, we'll have to go to Gringotts and get your Lordship rings and check your vaults. And then maybe we can go shopping. Damien will need new clothes of course, the house elves can't keep transfiguring things up forever, and maybe a couple of toys and books… why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because," Harry said grinning, "Damien's barley said a dozen sentences to us and he's already got you wrapped around his little finger!"

Serena scowled at him. "Your just as hopeless against him as I am! You'll probably buy him a racing broom and any sweet that he even looks at."

"True," Harry said, grinning, "Damien Alexander Potter- Black will probably be the most spoiled child alive with us as parents."

"He will be," Serena agreed smugly, "But now we have to go to bed. After all you're meeting my parents tomorrow for brunch."

Harry paled at the mention of meeting his in laws as Serena laughed and stepped in to give him a small peck on the cheek. Grant, along with another elf, came a moment later to lead them to their respective rooms, both had decided that the Master suite should be off limits until they had bonded, and Harry followed the elf, who was a shy but enthusiastic young elf named Tony, up to his room. When he reached the giant room, easily three times as big as the Dursley's Master bedroom, he fell asleep exhausted without bothering to look at the decorations. A small smile spread on his face as for the first time in a long while, Harry slept without having any horrible nightmares.

The first thing Harry noticed in the morning was the sunlight. The very, very annoying sunlight that went through the giant, Victorian windows and forced him to wake up far to early. For a minute he expected himself to be in the Dursley's smallest bedroom on Private Drive, surrounded by Dudley's old toys and games that he had destroyed.

Then his senses saw that the room was much larger than Dudley's, the walls painted a rich dark blue that was a beautiful starkness from the plush, soft white carpet that covered the ground. The furniture was in shades of light birch, practically white itself, and looked expensive. The four-poster bed he was sleeping on was gigantic, with a warm velvet comforter of the same rich dark blue as the walls and silken sheets that felt amazingly smooth against his skin. The pale blue curtains were opening, flooding the room with bright sunshine, and giving an incredible view of the garden outside, with stunning, vibrant flowers swaying in the soft wind.

He smiled as he looked out the window. He couldn't help not doing it; the bright, optimistic view was simply contagious and immediately put him in a good mood. He was distracted from his sight seeing as a small pop resounded, identifying as a house elf that had come to get him. He turned toward the elf and found that it was Dobby.

He had only been in Potter Manor for a few hours and already he looked different. That endless enthusiasm and bouncy energy was still there, but if it was possible, his tennis ball eyes were even brighter and filled with more happiness. He was wearing a small uniform, a replica of the Potter uniform that Grant had worn with the crest sewed on proudly at the shoulder. The little elf bounced up and down on his knees as he looked up at Harry.

"Master Harry, sir," Dobby chirped, "Good morning! Dobby will escort you to the dining room now so you can have breakfast!"

"Thank you Dobby," Harry replied smiling at the bouncing creature below him, "That was very thoughtful of you. Tell me, are Serena and Damien already up?"

"Mistress and little Master are already up," Dobby replied, "And Master Harry's things arrived from Malfoy Manor last night. They are in your dresser and Master can only wear them now because Mistress Serena ordered that she wanted all those clothing burned. Master will get a new wardrobe when he goes shopping today! And Mister Draco told me to tell you that he'll see you at Sirius Black's will reading."

Harry nodded in understanding and Dobby left for a moment as he changed into his clothes. They were folded neatly in the birch dresser, just like Dobby had said they would be. In moments he had dressed himself in his best pair of jeans and a shirt and opened the door to follow an exuberant Dobby to the dining room. After a few confusing turns, Harry found himself in the same dining room he and Serena had arte dinner in last night.

The room looked different now though, bathed with the morning light from the large windows. The table was filled with enough food for a couple dozen people rather than just the three the three people who would actually be eating there. Serena was sitting in one of the chairs, buttering Damien's toast for him although she looked up the moment she entered with a small smile on her face.

"Good morning," Harry said, walking up to her and placing a light kiss on her surprised lips, before he sat down, "Did the house elves really make all this?"

"Yep," Damien answered, grinning across from him, the morning light making his hair look like melted gold and his emerald eyes dance with golden flecks, his mouth was sticky with maple syrup, "I had pancakes and eggs! What will you have dad?"

Harry stilled, the hand that was reaching for the plate of waffles pausing, as he looked at Damien oddly. The innocently asked question made his heart beat faster with unspoken emotions, and his eyes look suspiciously moist.

"What's wrong dad?" Damien asked, concerned, before his emerald eyes widened and he asked almost fearfully, "You don't like it when I call you dad?"

"No Damien," Harry finally answered, his voice thick as he smiled at his son, "I wouldn't love anything more."

Damien smiled back at him sweetly and then turned his full attention back to the plate of pancakes he seemed intent on quickly devouring. But Harry just sat back in his chair, the hand holding the silverware poised over the plate of waffles as though about to take a bite, replaying the profound moment that had just happened so suddenly in his head over and over again. For a moment his eyes flashed up and met Serena's, the lilac pools in them looking slightly wet, and he understood that what just happened was understood and cherished by those two alone.

The rest of the delicious breakfast continued without incident and soon everyone was done and the house elves had taken the dishes away. Grant appeared a moment later.

"Good morning Master, Mistress, little Master," Grant said, bowing, "I hope that breakfast has been enjoyable. Now may I offer a tour of the estate?"

"Thank you Grant," Serena smiled at the elf, "The tour would be perfect right now and the breakfast was delicious. My parents are arriving for brunch today by the way and we'll be leaving afterwards to do a bit of Gringotts business and go shopping. Will that be all right?"

"No problem at all Mistress," Grant replied, walking out of the door with the others following, "Now on the first floor here we have…"

The first floor seemed to have the humongous great hall, half a dozen parlors, a few sitting rooms, a giant ballroom, three dining rooms, and a sunroom. The sunroom immediately caught Harry's attention. It was large and beautifully furnished with royal blue arm seats and dark midnight blue leather sofas. The floor was made of polished wooden holly boards and the entire ceiling seemed to be made of crystal, so light could stream into the room making it look radiant and airy. Dark trellis ivy and delicate, vibrant flowers in the gardens could be seen from inside and a small coffee table lay at the center of the room.

The second room was mostly made of guest bedrooms and bathrooms, all well furnished, and in varying shades of blue or green. A few sitting rooms and a small dining room were also thrown in although they didn't see much of the floor.

The third floor housed two potions labs, filled with spotless cauldrons and rare, priceless ingredients in perfect conditions that Severus Snape would give up an arm for. A medium sized greenhouse was also on this floor, although, Grant explained, most of the greenhouses were in perfect temperature conditions outside. One or two bedrooms and a small study were also found in the room although it was quickly bypassed.

The fourth floor was nearly impossible to drag Serena out of though. It seemed that this particular floor housed the entire library, a gigantic well-furnished room that was filled to the brim with what could possibly be a library that had a copy of every book in existence. Apparently Serena was just as, if more, of a demented bookworm than Hermione, and had to be slowly pulled away from the vast collection of knowledge.

The fifth floor was for the immediate Potter family and had the Master suite, the Heir suite, and the Scion suite. It was, to put it bluntly, gigantic and every piece of furniture looked priceless. Harry nearly had a heart attack when he asked Grant the same question and the goblin replied that, 'yes, of course every piece of furniture here is a priceless original. Did you really think that the Potter's would have anything less?' The bathroom itself was as big as the Gryffindor Common room and had its own miniature pool and Jacuzzi.

The sixth floor was the training room, and had an assortment of weapons such as daggers, swords, maces, spears, and a couple of enchanted clubs that would make any goblin warrior faint and think he'd gone to heaven, although as Grant explained, the really dangerous things were kept in the main Potter vault. This floor also had a larger, indoor swimming pool complete with magically enchanted waterfall and battleground to practice dueling.

They didn't visit the seventh floor but Grant quickly explained that the floor was the house elf quarters and had the kitchens and laundry rooms. By the time the entire tour was done and Damien had finished exclaiming in awe at every spiky weapon they came to, Serena making a mental note to never let her son come into the room unsupervised, hours had passed and they had to get ready for brunch.


	4. Meeting Serena's Parents

Chapter 4: Meeting the In Laws

Serena watched with amusement as the two most important males in her life completely panicked at the thought of meeting their parents in law and grandparents, respectively. Harry was rushing around, wide-eyed, and looking completely childish and adorable with his hair in a disarray while Damien suited himself to whining about why he had to wear a, in his words "bloody excuse for a strangling eradicator Python."

"No cursing," Serena admonished lightly, fixing his tie on quickly and stepping back to admire her handiwork as she added, "And no running around. You'll ruin the suit."

With a quick spin she reached out and grabbed Harry's arm, using her vampire strength to pull him toward her for a minute and pushing down an unruly lock of his black hair. The first thing that would need to be changed when they went shopping, Serena decided, the hair is completely impossible to control.

"Do I look okay?" Harry asked hopefully, his emerald eyes looking worried. She stepped back from him and tried not to smile. Give her soon to be mate, dragons and homicidal killers any day over having to meet family.

"You look perfect," Serena supplied, honestly as she smiled at him. Harry's shoulders relaxed, the tension in them disappearing for a minute as he smiled back at her. It was so sweet how hard he wanted to impress them.

"Do I have to wear this tie?" Damien continued, breaking up the moment as he looked pleadingly up at his father.

"I'm afraid so," Harry answered, wincing in sympathy, "Or your mom will be furious."

Damien's eyes widened in terror at the thought of what Serena might do to him if he kept complaining. His mother was sweet most times and Damien knew she loved him and his father a lot. But it was slightly hard to forget sometimes that your own mum had been trained in battle warfare and under intensive training most of her royal life and could therefore possibly kill you with just a tube of mascara.

"I have to go get ready for brunch," Serena said lightly from behind them, "So I'll be in my room for a few moments. Would you two mind waiting at the sunroom until then? And Damien do not ruin your suit."

"Okay mum," Damien grumbled, turning around and heading toward the sunroom. Harry hesitated for a moment, as though unsure of precisely what he should do, and then gave a quick peck to Serena's face before turning around and following his son, the tip of his ears turning bright red.

"Do you think they'd like me?" Damien asked, his voice small, as he sat down on one of the leather couches in the room.

Harry looked at his son in surprise. Damien hadn't even glanced at the assortment of delicate sugar spun treats on the coffee table, a sure sign that his son was extremely worried. But Harry hadn't thought that his desire to be accepted by Serena's parents, and therefore his grandparents, would be it. Damien always looked so calm about things like these that he'd forgotten his son was still a little kid. After loosing his parents then of course he'd want his new adopted family to love him.

"They would be idiots not to like you," Harry answered fiercely, sitting down beside him and putting an arm around the young boys shoulder, "Your wonderful, Damien. I love you, your mum loves you, I'm pretty sure the house elves adore you, and your grandparents will love you to. After all, you're a Potter man now and we're completely perfect."

"Really?" Damien asked, his wide green eyes shining like miniature emeralds as he grinned at his father.

"Of course," Harry replied confident, "Remember you're the heir to the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter, Desamond, Black, and three of the four original founders of Hogwarts. People will expect much out of you, more than they would with other boys your age, especially because your now my and Serena's son. You will be hounded by the paparazzi, offered various favors by people who want to obtain your fame, and looked up to as a hero by others. It's a lot to deal with Damien, and a burden that I never wanted you to have. Fame may seem to be all glitz and glamour but it will be difficult at times."

"It's okay dad," Damien said truthfully, "I'm fine as long as you and mum are with me. I'll do something wonderful when I grow up, but not because people want me to. I'll do it so you and mum could be happy."

"That's the spirit," Harry said grinning, "Just don't mention it to your mum. Wonderful usually means dangerous in the Wizarding world and Serena will kill me if she learns that I put the idea into your head." They stopped talking for a minute as a house elf came in.

"Master, Miss Serena's parents have arrived. Shall I lead them into the room?" Grant asked, ready to either graciously invite the pair into the Potter ancestral home or drive them out of the grounds with a mob of torch wielding house elves. Whichever his Master preferred.

"Already?" Harry asked paling as he saw that Serena still hadn't arrived, and then told himself sternly that he could handle this, "All right then. Invite them in Grant."

"As you wish Master," Grant replied politely, as he disappeared with a small pop.

A minute later, as the young house elf walked in with two people following behind him, Harry got his first look at Serena's parents. His father was a tall man, with broad shoulders, dark brown hair and violet eyes that could, and probably did, show warmth whenever he saw Serena but looked frosty and critical as he saw Harry. It was plainly obvious where Serena got her endless stubbornness and intimidation tactics.

Her looks on the other hand most likely came from her mother. She was a petite blonde, with hair the color of honey just like Serena's and sparkling blue eyes that looked like small pieces of the sky. A wide, friendly smile was on her face when she saw the two sitting on the couch, a much more welcoming look then her husbands. Her every movement was fluid and graceful, a seemingly timeless action.

"You must be Queen Ramanov," Harry said, bending down to place a quick kiss on her offered hand, "I can see where Serena gets her ravishing beauty from." The queen laughed, her amusement sounding like bells tingling as she looked at Harry.

"Please, call me Melinda," the queen asked warmly, "I see no need to have royal titles said around family."

"Thank you," Harry replied with a smile, "This is my son Damien. Serena will be down in a moment. May I offer you something to drink?"

"Tea will be fine," Melinda said distractedly as her eyes lighted up on the shy form of Damien huddled up on the sofa, "Oh, you must be Damien! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"It's nice to meet you too," Damien answered shyly as Melinda sat down and began fussing over him. A minute later all of Damien's insecurities had gone away and his thrilled grandmother was happily coddling him. After he checked that his son was happy, Harry turned around reluctantly to meet Serena's father.

"Okay Potter," the man, said plainly, getting to the point, "I love my little girl and she apparently loves you. I'll make it clear now that if you hurt her in anyway, you will have to deal with me and Boy Who Lived or not, I assure you it will not be pleasant. So tell me the truth, do you love my daughter?"

"At first I was shocked to learn that I was going to get married so young," Harry confessed honestly, "Then I met Serena and Damien and they became such an important part of my life so quickly. Believe me sir, being married to the Boy Who Lived will not be easy and I have no wish to see your daughter get hurt because of her association with me. I have only come to know her for a while now and already I feel respect and affection for her. I'm not sure if I'm in love with her yet, but I have no doubt that I'm beginning to be." King Ramanov nodded silently, a bit impressed by the boy's conviction.

"Are you satisfied then?" a lilting voice asked from the doorway and everyone looked up to see a smiling Serena leaning against the wall.

"S-Serena?" Harry asked stunned, as he stood near the room. His emerald eyes were fastened to the girl. She had changed into a lilac dress, a shade lighter than her violet eyes and let her honey blonde hair fall down her back in soft waved. A small necklace made of dark sapphires hung from her throat and a matching bracelet graced her slender hand.

"He'll do," her father admitted, " Harry, you can call me Jonathon. I suppose you are family now. When will you two get bonded?"

"Daddy, your mouth is open," Damien finally informed his father, much to Harry's embarrassment and everyone else's amusement. Damien just sat there, utterly confused on why his grandparents looked like they wanted to laugh and why his father was blushing bright red. It wasn't because of anything he said, right? I mean he'd only pointed out the obvious.

"Oh, I think you'll make an excellent addition to the family," Melinda said, beaming, "But when will the bonding ceremony take place?"

"We were hoping to have it down tomorrow," Serena replied, gently gripping Harry's hand and puling him down into a dark leather sofa beside her, "At the palace."

"But why so soon?" Melinda asked, concerned, "Surely you should wait a few months to get to know each other better."

"Unless you don't have any time," Jonathon said shrewdly, his violet eyes darkening in anger, "The Boy Who Lived will have a few issues that would need to be handled. Tell me what's wrong, maybe I can help."

"That would be a long story," Harry said grimly, and then recalled everything that they'd discussed yesterday at Gringotts to his attentive audience. Jonathon's eyes kept getting darker and darker as he talked, until they were almost black with fury while Melinda kept a steady façade throughout it all, although her hand did tremble a bit as she drank the sweet Irish herb tea the house elves provided.

"-And then we decided to bond tomorrow and attend the will reading the next day," Harry completed as he fingered his own china cup of full tea, "After that we just portkeyed to Potter manor."

"The plans you have are good," the king said thoughtfully, "And no doubt Dumbledore deserves every moment of annoyance you cause him. No one messes with the crown heir of the Ramanov family without paying the price after all. But have you discussed what you will do after the will reading?"

"No," Harry admitted, "We only managed to get that far in our plans."

"Then come to the castle for a few weeks," Melinda suggested, "You can receive training from us there on battle tactics and obscure, powerful magic. Defeating Voldemort would be difficult but I think we can help ease the way. When you go and fight the Dark Lord, I want you to know that the vampires will rally behind you, one hundred percent. We can discuss war efforts in the battle room and you will get to know your people better. You will one day rule them in any case.

"That would be great mother," Serena commented, smiling at her mother, "And we would love to take you up on the offer."

Harry nodded his assent and then added, "Would you mind if we bring two friends along with us? Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood were two of the people who supported me unconditionally and I know they would fight beside me in the future so I'd like them to have a bit of training beforehand."

"That can be arranged," Jonathon said approving, "It's good to know that you have such loyal friends following you. Would you like to transfer out of Hogwarts for the next year? I've heard that the Salem Academy of Magic is an excellent school in the States and best of all the Headmaster isn't a manipulation fool like Dumbledore."

"That's tempting," Harry admitted smiling, "But Hogwarts is my home and that's where I'll have to recruit my followers for the war against Voldemort. I may hate the Wizarding world but the bastard killed my parents and I'm going to make him pay."

"So I'm going to Hogwarts too," Serena added, playing with a lock of Damien's honey blonde hair, "And so will Damien. We won't leave Harry alone."

"Yeah," Damien piped up, having listened to this conversation keenly, "We'll help Daddy fight against the Headmaster and the Dark Lord!" Damien Alexander Potter-Black was a very intelligent and cunning child and just from listening to the conversation he'd managed to piece together that a man named Dumbledore and another called the Dark Lord have been trying to hurt his Daddy ever since he was born. Which for them was a big mistake. No one would hurt his father, not if he had anything to say about it.

"Thanks Damien," Harry said softly, smiling at the boy, "That means a lot to me."

"But will you be all right?" Jonathon cut in, looking at them with worried eyes, "Are you sure that Dumbledore won't manage to hurt you in Hogwarts? And for that matter, will Serena and Damien be allowed into Hogwarts?"

"It would be hard for him to do that," Harry replied, smirking, "As heir to the three founders, as soon as I accept my Lordship rings, which I will today, I'll have control of Hogwarts. The castle wards will only respond to me, the pictures wouldn't dare to betray me, the house elves will be loyal to me, and I bet even the Headmaster's phoenix, Fawks, will be on my side. Heaven knows, that the bird can't stand Dumbledore. And Serena and Damien will have to be allowed into the school as members of my family."

"That would be perfect," Melinda said with a proud glint in her eyes, "Welcome to the family Harry and Damien."

The rest of the evening was spent discussing how Harry and Serena would prank the hell out of Dumbledore when they got into Hogwarts. It turned out that Melinda was a woman after the Marauders own hearts when she was angry about how someone had treated her family. If she had gone to Hogwarts, she would have definitely been a dead ringer for Slytherin. The woman was just too vicious to not be.

And Damien, in the true spirit of his deceased grandfather, Prongs, was a born prankster at heart. Within minutes grandson and grandmother had bonded over brainstorming ideas to get back at Dumbledore that made even Jonathon wince in sympathy. For a minute Harry even felt a brief burst of sympathy for Dumbledore as the pair discussed a plan that involved twenty gallons of tomato sauce, blue jellybeans, and a chainsaw. But it was gone a moment later as he grinned at his family. The Headmaster would defiantly pay.

* * *

Dumbledore was frantic. He had checked the Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley, the Burrow, Gringotts, and even Knockturn Alley to find even one sign of Harry. When the damned teen had mysteriously disappeared from Privet Drive yesterday, which he hadn't even learned about until Mundungus's shift was over and Mad-Eye Moody came to check on the boy, he had immediately Apparated to Surrey so he could interrogate the boy's relatives. But his Legilimency probe showed nothing, it seemed that the boy just inexplicably disappeared one afternoon with all of his belongings and a further check showed that none of the memories had been tampered with.

He was furious of course. How could his precious little weapon of the light just leave like that? He had worked hard to mold Harry into the perfect little savior, ever since he ditched the boy in Private Drive when he was a baby, and now all his plans were coming undone! How could they work if Harry was not found and convinced to play the perfect little martyr? After he offed Voldemort and gave the Weasley girl a bastard child then he could have controlled the full power of the Potter vaults!

Sure he stole several million galleons from Harry's vault already but the money was simply not enough. No, Dumbledore would have it all. After all, as Leader of the Light and the destroyer of the evil Grindelwald, he deserved it.


	5. Gringotts and Shopping

Chapter 5: Gringotts and Shopping

They had talked in the sunroom for several hours, and it was nearing the afternoon when Jonathon and Melinda left subsequent to several assurances that they would come to the Citadel tonight after shopping. They had adored Damien of course, as he was their new grandson, and as Jonathon proudly said, 'the next greatest leader of the Ramanov clan with his brilliance and ingenuity.' By then Damien had lost all of his reservations and hugged the royal couple good bye, calling them grandpa and grandma, something that made Melinda nearly burst into tears and Jonathon grin.

Before they had left by the portkey, Harry had placed several glamours on all of them. He was going to go as Daniel Radcliffe, the Muggleborn actor, along with his wife Emma Watson and their son Damien. They had debated for a while on whether or not to change his name before finally deciding that no one loyal to the Headmaster knew that they had a son and that it would make it easier on everyone involved if Damien didn't have an alias.

* * *

A minute later, the young family had appeared in Griphook's office with a small burst of blue light. When Harry looked around, he noticed that the office had been repaired to perfection although the very sharp, very painful looking daggers were conspicuously absent. A small sliding of the door showed Griphook's arrival as the goblin came into the room, smiling as he saw his famous client.

"I take it you survived meeting the king and queen then?" Griphook asked, smirking.

"It went well actually," Harry, replied, sitting on Damien's other side in the wide couch, "They're a lot more easygoing than I would expect vampire royalty to be."

"Oh, that's because your going to become family," Serena explained, "They're not so welcoming with everyone else."

"Well it's good to know that you survived at least," Griphook said, sitting down, "It's good to see you Damien and you too Serena. I take it; you've already secured a place for the bonding ritual?"

"Yes," Harry answered with a smile, "It's at the Ramanov castle and your invited. So are Draco and Narcissa, Melinda said that the invitations would be sent today although the ceremony will be small because of the short notice. Other guests are Remus Lupin, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and Fred and George Weasley. Just because their family is a pawn of the meddler who looks like a demented Santa, doesn't mean they're awful."

"That's good," Griphook said favorably, "Thank you for the invite by the way. Although everyone's favorite Headmaster will probably throw a major temper tantrum when he learns that he wasn't invited. Speaking of the meddling coot, he was here this morning looking for you. I suggest that you be careful and take a portkey out of Gringotts."

Harry nodded in appreciation of the plan. After a few more pleasantries where Damien excitedly described in detail some of the more gruesome weapons in the Potter family arsenal with Griphook listening on enviously, they finally got to the accepting of the Lordships.

"It's quite simple really," Griphook explained encouragingly as he lifted up a small box made of dark oak and inscribed with designs of flowers, "You just have to put on the ring and it will take a bit of your blood and then accept you as the Lord or not. Are you ready?"

"Yes," Harry replied, as Griphook took the small sing out of the box and handed it to him. It was a silver band with a golden gem set in the center with the Potter crest, a phoenix carrying a long sword, inscribed on it. Slowly he put the ring on his finger and felt a small prick on his arm that signified it drawing blood. A minute later the ring glowed bright white before settling comfortably on his finger. Following the flash of light was a strange feeling, almost like dyspepsia only much more pleasant, that seemed to come from within him. His core enlarged a bit, allowing the Potter family power and wards to be connected to him by right of blood.

After that, he took out the Black family ring with the picture of a dark raven arcing above a moon and put it on. The family crests Tojours Pur was inscribed on the dark onyx stone with a careful precision and a small core boost was almost added as the ring accepted him as the next rightful Lord Black.

It went on much more easily after the first two. The next ring for Harry to take was a small band of white gold with an emerald in the center, a picture of a rose encircled around by thorns as the Desamond ring. After that was a ruby with the insignia of a roaring lion for Gryffindor, a diamond with the emerald facets of a snake for Slytherin, and a sapphire inscribed with runes in Latin. Serena looked at it and translated the verse with appreciation. Wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure.

"So it looks like you're really are the Lord of six Ancient and Noble Houses," Griphook said in awe as the ceremony was completed, "I know the lineage ritual said so but it was a bit difficult to believe until now. Harry, do you have any idea what kind of power you command now? The Potter's had always been considered influential and dominant aristocratic Purebloods but this is a whole new level of control. In political terms, you're invincible."

"That could be useful when dealing with the Ministry," Harry agreed, taking off four of the rings until only the Potter and Back one remained, "But I have no idea on how to play politics and even if I did, I would never have the time or the ingenuity to excel in the field. No, I think I will need a proxy to do that for me. And I think I know the perfect one. I'll contact him later in the summer. Do you have anything where I could put these, Griphook?"

"Yes, it will be a bit of an issue having to wear six rings at once, wouldn't it?" Griphook said, reaching into his desk and taking out a slender chain, "Just put all but the Potter and Black rings in here and slip it into your neck. You'll be able to use the magic but you won't have to deal with caring them all the time. And no one could steal this from you. It'll just appear in your pocket after a few minutes."

"That would be perfect," Harry, said smiling, as he reached for the chain and put the rings inside, "I would like to get a copy of the finances from all the estates by the way. And Griphook, I want to know if you could handle all of my estates instead of just the Potter and Black ones. You're one of the few goblins I trust inexplicitly. I know it will be a lot of work but believe me, there will be a substantial pay raise involved." Griphook blinked in shock, the closest Harry had ever gotten to see the goblin look astonished, before a wide, and rather frightening, smile broke out on his face.

"The money doesn't mean anything to me Harry," Griphook said genuinely, "Heaven knows I'm one of the better paid beings in the magical world, goblins or wizard point, because I'm the manager of the Potter and Black estates. This will be a lot of work but I would love to do it because of how much trust you put in me. It means a lot to me that you'd offer this job."

"Thanks Griphook," Harry replied, "I'll take it that you accept the job?"

"Of course," Griphook agreed enthusiastically, before looking slightly puzzled, "Er… Serena, are you all right?" Harry looked at Serena in confusion. The beautiful royal had a dazed look on her face that resembled panic.

"Oh no," Serena groaned, "I knew that I'd have to be the Lady of two Ancient and Noble houses but how in the name of Merlin will I handle six? All the parties and meetings and estates I have to take care of… This is horrible!"

"Calm down Serena," Harry said soothingly, immediately understanding the cause of his mates panic, "You can handle anything you put your heart to. And don't worry; you won't have to do it alone. I'll be here and so will Damien to help you."

"Yes," Serena mumbled, a bit incoherent, "So many things to get ready. Invitations, dress fittings, pickles…" Harry and Damien exchanged a look, mutually deciding that no comment was to be made on the last object unless they were ready to face Serena's wrath.

"Okay," Griphook said, bemused as he looked at the odd family before him. He was definitely going to earn every galleon of that pay raise dealing with these clients. "Shall we go and see the family artifacts, then?"

"That will be fine," Serena answered for them, looking a bit more cam than before, "Just the Potter, Desamond, and Black vaults please. We don't have time to see all of them today. By the way, do you think you could have all the family artifacts from the six vaults moved into one huge vault? It would make things a lot easier next time."

"That can be arranged," Griphook agreed, "And would you like an inventory of the family estates now then or after you visit the vaults? I'll have a catalog of the family artifacts you have later and put it in the main Potter vault."

"That would be perfect," Harry said, "And will you give us the inventory now?"

"These should be it," Griphook commented; take out a thick manila folder from his desk and passing it to Harry. The young Lord picked up the folder and looked through it, nearly fainting from shock at the numbers written in them.

Potter Family Inventory

Homes

Potter Manor (British Isles)

Potter Ancestral Home (Ireland)

Number 15 Riverdale Place (United States)

French Condo (France)

Potter Cottage 1-3 (British Isles near Blackwood Forest)

Vaults

Vault 354 Three point five billion galleons (Family Vault)

Vault 16 No galleons (Artifact Vault)

Vault 841 One hundred thousand galleons (Harry Potter Schooling Vault)

Shares in Business

Ten percentMadame Malkins

Twenty-five percentHoneydukes

One hundred percentNimbus Broom Company

Thirty-three percentWeasleys Wizard Wheezes

Twenty percentGrunnings

Eighteen PercentWalmart

Family Seat In The British Wizegamont

Black Family Inventory

Homes

Black Ancestral Home (Scotland)

Number Twelve Grimmauld Place (England)

Black Mansion (British Isles)

Silverstein Manor (Scotland)

Vaults

Vault 128 One point eight billion galleons (Family Vault)

Vault 467 No galleons (Artifact Vault)

Vault 13 Ten hundred thousand galleons (Sirius Black Personal Vault)

Shares in Business

Twenty-five percentDaily Prophet

Thirty percentHollywood Harpies Team

Twenty percentPuddlemeres United

Ten percentMadame Malkins

Family Seat In The British Wizegamont

Desamond Family Inventory

Homes

Desamond Castle (Ireland)

Family Condo and Beach House (Italy)

Pent House Apartment (New York)

Mexican Villa (New Mexico)

Vaults

Vault 370 One point six billion galleons (Family vault)

Vault 298 No galleons (Artifact vault)

Shares in Business

Ten percentMadame Malkins

Twenty-five percentHoneydukes

Fifty percentDaily Prophet

Twenty-five percentPepsi Company

One hundred percentsPotion Emporium

Family Seat In The British Wizegamont

Gryffindor Family Inventory

Homes

Twenty-five percent Hogwarts

Gryffindor Ancestral Home

Vaults

Vault 128 No galleons (Artifact Vault)

Shares in Business

Family Seat In The British Wizegamont

Ravenclaw Family Inventory

Homes

Twenty-five percent Hogwarts

Ravenclaw Manor

Vaults

Vault 279 No galleons (Artifact Vault)

Shares in Business

Family Seat In The British Wizegamont

Slytherin Family Inventory

Homes

Fifty percent Hogwarts (Deal with Helga Hufflepuff)

Slytherin Ancestral Home

Vaults

Vault 979 No galleons (Artifact Vault)

Shares in Business

Family Seat In The British Wizegamont

"Are you telling me that I own all of this?" Harry asked in disbelief as he looked through the paper again.

"Yes," Griphook replied in amusement as he saw the mirrored looks of shock on every member of the Potter family, "When I said that the Potters were wealthy, I did not jest. You are in fact the richest client in Gringotts. Congratulations."

"Thanks," Harry replied wryly, as he turned to smile at Serena, "Well, I guess we won't have any trouble raising a family so young. I don't think either of us has to take a job for the rest of our lives."

"I can see that," Serena replied, still looking a bit shell-shocked from the monetary amount she just read, "I suppose this means we can go anywhere we want for the holidays?"

"Like Italy for Christmas?" Damien asked quietly, looking up hopefully at his father.

"Sure, Italy it is," Harry agreed, ruffling the boys honey blonde air, "We'll stay in the Desamond family condo and beach house if that's what you want."

"Okay," Damien said happily, leaning against the cushion on the sofa again.

"I think that we'd all like to see the family vaults now please," Harry commented getting up as he pulled Damien off the sofa, "Shall we get going, Griphook?"

"Of course," Griphook said getting up, "But we'll only have to visit one vault. While you were looking through the family investments, I took the moment to alert some of the goblins to have everything magically moved to one huge family vault. Nothing but the best is deserved for our wealthiest clients after all."

Harry laughed out loud, and added, "I suppose we were right then when we appointed you the manager of my family vaults. Only a few minutes into the job and your already performing wonderfully, Griphook." "Thank you, Lord Potter-Black," Griphook replied with a smile as he got up and led them to the underground carts.

* * *

A minute later the cart was racing down to the family vault, deep in the recess of Gringotts into one of the ancient family vaults that had a dragon guarding it. The only sound heard over the rushing of the train tracks was Damien's undignified whoop of pleasure and Serena's brief shriek of fear before she buried her head into Harry's chest. After a few dizzying spins that had Serena gripping on to her mate in terror, they reached the family vault and Damien rushed out while Harry stayed back a bit to help a shaky Serena back onto the ground.

"I am never going on to that death trap again," Serena vowed, still clutching on to Harry like she was drowning in the middle of a vast ocean and he was her only live saver, "That thing is a murder weapon!"

"It'll be all right," Harry reassured, leading her toward the cavern, "I was terrified my first time to. Believe me after a while you'll get used to it."

"To that ensnaring demise?" Serena asked in doubt, "Oh no, I will never get used to that thing because I'm never going to go on it again." Harry was saved the trouble of replying to that by an exited shout from Damien.

"Mum! Dad!" Damien called gleefully, from inside the cavern, "You've got to see the stuff in here! There's a rapier stained with blood! And Griphook told me its dragon blood!"

Serena and Harry shared one look, simultaneously coming to the conclusion that Griphook, Damien, and a room full of deadly weapons should never be together, before they rushed into the family vault themselves. The minute he got a look though, Harry stopped dead in his tracks as he saw what was before him. Shining silver orbs from above that brightly lighted the cave glittered down on the amazing treasures below.

And there were a lot of treasures. On one side was a several bookcases filled with old manuscripts and faded scrolls that looked rare and well cared for. As Harry walked up to it, he noticed that Merlin himself wrote one of the scrolls! Beautiful, precious jewelry and bright bolts of silken fabric from exotic lands were shining in another side of the room and Damien seemed to be standing by a marble wall that had a nearly endless amount of weapons on it. His small hands were clutching a bloodstained rapier that he reluctantly handed over to Serena when she walked up to him.

Harry walked over to them as Serena finished scolding Damien, who had a sheepish expression on his handsome face. One sword in the corner caught Harry's attention as he walked up to it, ignoring all the other daggers and maces hanging on the wall. The sword was simply designed with a hilt made of darkened silver with entwining vines carved into it. It wouldn't have caught his attention normally, but Harry's senses were so attuned to magic that they caught the faint hum of pure light magic shining from within the sword.

"Serena," Harry called quietly, "Come look at this." She walked up to him and looked curiously at the word that seemed to have taken so much of Harry's attention. After a few minutes of analyzing the hilt, a small gasp rang out from her voice.

"Harry, do you know what this is?" Serena asked in awe, "This is the sword of the most famous king of England. This is Excalibur!"

"Excalibur?" Griphook asked, shocked as he and Damien walked up, "As in the famous King Arthur's sword?"

"Or infamous depending how you think about it," Serena mused quietly, looking at the sword surprise, "But why would you have the sword Excalibur… unless the Potter's were distant relations and inherited the sword. But that means… Harry, you might be a descendant of King Arthur!"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he was," Griphook commented dryly, "Only someone related to the chivalrous and noble king could be so completely reckless and heroic when someone is in danger. And Harry would definitely fit that description."

"Nevertheless, only true heirs of King Arthur's line were said to be able to wield the legendary sword," Serena mused, and then said suddenly, "Harry, try to hold the sword. If its power can work for you than that would be a major blow against Voldemort!"

"All right," Harry agreed hesitantly and reached out his hand to grip the sword's hilt. The second his fingers grazed the silver, a powerful rush of magic went through his hand, making his arm temporarily numb as he rushing power filled his body. A moment later he had closed his hand around the hilt, the power from the sword merging with his core and filling him with endless fire and shock as though lightning was being held inside his body although it could not scorch him to cinders. He felt rather than saw, his Harry lift up as though a powerful wind had rushed through the room.

The sword felt so completely right in his hands, filling him with power and certainty that he could vanquish any Dark force that threatened his family. It was so much like a long lost friend that he had seen now, like it was a part of him, that Harry lifted it off from the marble and held it in his hands. The power rushed through him for a few seconds more before settling down comfortably into his core and filling him with assuring warmth.

"Well," Griphook finally said, breaking the tensed silence as Harry came out of his reverie and looked at them with surprise, "I think that proves that Harry is the long lost descendant of King Arthur. Hmm, Lord of six Ancient and Noble Houses at age sixteen, mate of a vampire princess, father, teenage billionaire, Wizarding Savior destined to rid the world of the plague known as Lord Voldemort and now the royal descendent of England's most famous king. … You never do anything by half, do you Potter?"

"Apparently not," Harry replied, grinning slightly as he walked up to the group.

"Daddy, your eyes were glowing!" Damien said enthusiastically as he reached up to hug his father and run his hand over the sword, "It was so cool! Can I have a sword too?"

"Absolutely not," Serena disagreed immediately, "You might hurt yourself!"

"I'll be fine mum," Damien protested, " I'm already seven you know. I can take care of myself, right Daddy?"

"Well," Harry said thoughtfully, ignoring Serena's vehement glare, "It might be a good idea Serena. He's growing up and he'll have to be put through some training. I think I would like it if I knew that Damien could protect himself. Maybe he should be allowed to practice with a sword… as long as he's supervised by a competent adult of course."

"Maybe that would be best," Serena, agreed reluctantly, "It would be more reassuring to know that Damien could protect himself when we're not around. Maybe magic lessons and a couple of battle tactics would be a good idea."

Damien wanted to disagree with the adult supervision, but like a smart boy, he knew when it would be best to keep his mouth shut so he could get at least a bit of what he wanted so he agreed. As Damien and Serena worked out the finer points of his training, with a little help from Griphook occasionally, Harry slipped away to explore more of the cavern, the sword Excalibur held in one hand.

After a bit of wandering, he paused by the jewelry section and took a quick look around. Many of the pieces were beautiful and undoubtedly expensive but what really caught his attention was a stunning engagement ring that lay on one of the drawers. It was gorgeous, with a band made of white gold inscribed with runes that to Harry looked vaguely like the protection charms he'd seen before in Hogwarts and a smooth cut diamond with a center made of shining Columbian emeralds. He smiled as the ring caught his attention and slipped it into his pocket for later.

Then he walked back to Serena and Damien. The two had just finished haggling over what Damien would have for his studies, and after a terrifying ride back up in the cart, in which Serena unwaveringly held on to Harry in an almost painful grip, they came back to Griphook's office.

"These should come in useful to you," Griphook said, handing Harry and Serena two onyx black debit cards and to Harry a scabbard attached to a leather belt, "These cards are attached directly to your bank accounts so you can use them to shop in either Muggle or Wizarding stores. The sword belt and scabbard are so you won' t look like an idiot by carrying around a sword in Muggle London. Both have anti-theft charms on them so you don't have anything to worry about."

"Thank you Griphook," Harry said as he slipped the belt around his waist and placed the sword into the scabbard, "These will come in handy." After extracting a promise from Griphook to make sure he would attend the wedding, Harry placed the glamour on them again and they walked out of Gringotts like any normal Wizarding family.

* * *

The minute they had stepped foot into Diagon Alley though, Serena got the urge to drag her unwilling family members toward Madame Malkin's for new fittings. Harry and Damien just kept their mouth shut and stood motionless as Serena ordered the shopkeeper to make a whole new wardrobe for all them including pants, shirts, regular robes, dress robes, battle robes, and dragon hide boots. By the time they finally got out of the building, Harry had a bottomless, weightless bag currently filled with half a dozen pants, shirts in dark colors, three Wizarding robes, two pairs of dress robes, a pair of soft leather shoes and an order for several more clothes to be shipped to Potter manor as soon as possible. Needless to say, Madame Malkin was all too willing to complete the job.

They had debated for a while on whether or not to go to the Apothecary or any bookstore but then finally decided that nothing the stores had could ever match the things in Potter manor anyway and it was pointless to go waste their time. So as a small breather, and so Serena wouldn't consider going back to Madame Malkin's for a little while, Harry brought them to Fortescue's instead and ordered three sundaes. It was then that Damien brought up the idea of getting him a wand.

"You know dad," Damien said, looking at the easier to persuade parent, "I'm going to need a wand for my own if I'm going to learn how to fight with magic."

"So you want us to go buy a possibly lethal stick that can shoot fire from it," Harry replied easily, "And then give it to a seven year old who has absolutely no idea what to do with it and an extremely vivid and dangerous imagination, besides? I haven't been a dad for long but I think that's a bad idea."

"I think it's a great idea," Damien cut in, "How am I going to protect myself in Hogwarts if I don't even have a magical wand? The other students will make fun of me!"

"You're seven," Serena said matter-of-factly, "They must be extremely pathetic if the best thing that they have to spend their time with is to humiliate a seven year old."

"I'm not a baby," Damien said pouting, "And how am I going to practice my magic?"

"He has a point, you know," Harry said thoughtfully, "He will need a wand if he is to practice magic but I don't think we can go to Ollivander. The man seems far too connected to Dumbledore for my comfort."

"If you say so," Serena said, unconcerned, "We can use Gregorovitch instead then. He's a brilliant wand maker and has been making wands for my family for years. My light cedar with dragon heartstring wand came from him. You might want to get a new wand too, Harry. The holly and has the same core as Voldemort's wand; it might hinder you if you try to fight the Dark Lord in battle."

"You're right, I guess," Harry frowned, remembering his holly and phoenix feather wand, "And Krum did mention Gregorovitch in the Triwizard tournament a few years ago. But wait… how do use a wand if you're a vampire?"

"The Ramanov vampires have the ability but most cannot practice magic. Vampires have their own form of wandless magic but we can do less with it than you wizards can with your wands and that hinders us," Serena explained, "When you become my mate, you'll get enhanced wandless ability and so will Damien because he is my child by blood."

"That could come in useful," Harry mused, before he turned his head toward his son, "Damien, what are you doing?" The startled boy looked up quickly, his honey blonde hair obscuring the emerald hue of his eyes.

"Dad," Damien asked quietly, "Can I have a pet?"

"A pet?" Harry repeated surprised before understanding came to him. Of course, Damien would feel lonely hanging out with adults and house elves all day. No matter how much he loved his parents, he needed something fun in his life too.

"Why not?" Serena said, obviously coming to the same conclusion as Harry when she stood up, "There's a pet shop near here. We can go take a look right now."

"Really?" Damien asked, his face lighting up as he hopped off the stool and waited impatiently for his father to pay the waitress, "Let's go!"

The brunette waitress got sight of him and smiled. "Aww, isn't he adorable when he's sulking like that?"

"Very," Harry grinned ignoring Damien's pout. The waitress really did have a point though. Despite Damien's holier than thou attitude that Draco had most likely taught him, the small, blonde, cherubic boy really was lovable. He looked even more adorable when he was angry, with his small arms crossed and a ready pout on his face. Even Harry was hard pressed not to say 'Aww."

"I am not adorable," Damien, declared hotly as they walked up to the building that called itself the Animal Emporium, "That woman is insane."

"Clearly," Serena agreed, fondly running her hand through his messy hair, "I think you look adorable all the time." From the look on Damien's face, it was clear that this wasn't the response he'd wanted. He was saved a reply though as they went into the store and Damien became spellbound with all the animals in there.

Within seconds he had disappeared into a pair of aisles and Harry and Serena were left, trying to find a sign of a little honey blonde head and emerald green eyes. When an attendants scream cut through the chattering of the squirrel cages they were near though, they quickly followed the sound to get to wear Damien was undoubtedly going to be. And he was there, with a large boa constrictor wrapped around his chest and peering innocently up at the terrified store clerk and his assistant.

"Damien!" Harry said sharply, walking up to his son, "What do you think your doing?"

"But dad," Damien protested, "They had left little Delia cooped up in this small cage all by herself! She was lonely! So I helped her get out." "Little Delia" was in fact a five feet long boa constrictor that seemed content to coil around Damien. When Harry and Serena walked up, she lifted her head and hissed at him.

Massster Sspeaker, the snake hissed, thisss hatchling iss yoursss?

Harry hesitated for a minute before casting a quick stunner at the shop clerk. By now the assistant had already fainted and no one else was around to see what was going on. He looked intently at Serena for a moment and she quickly understood his point as she cast a wandless locking char on the door.

Yess, Harry hissed back, He belongsss to me. Do you plan to hurt him?

No, Massster Sspeaker, the hatchling iss ssafe with me. He too sspeaks the snake tongue,the snake answered as Serena looked curious at all the hissing going on.

He doesss,Harry asked, surprised, why do you call uss Massster?

You sspeak the old tongue,the snake explained,Sso you are my Massster. Will you take me home with you?

"What is she saying?" Serena asked, worriedly, from beside him.

"She wants so know if we can adopt her," Damien explained, having listened intently to the conversation, "Can we keep her Mum? Please?"

"I don't know," Serena, said doubtfully, "You understand her?"

"Damien must have picked it up through the blood transfer. He inherited some of our abilities," Harry replied, looking up, "So now he can speak Parsletongue."

"That can be helpful," Serena said, relenting a little, "But how do we know, the snake won't hurt Damien?"

Tell your mate not to worry;the snake hissed up to Harry from Damien's shoulder, I wish the hatchling no harm. He can become my new Massster because he hass the ssnake tongue and I sshall protect him from harm. I will become hiss familiar and my poison iss rare; he can use it in obscure potions.

"Delia says that she won't hurt Damien because he can speak the snake tongue," Harry explained, "And she'll become Damien's familiar. According to her, Delia's poison is rare and she'll let Damien use it as well as keep him from harm."

"Exactly," Damien agreed, looking up at his mom with pleading eyes that Delia seemed to mirror, "Can I keep her? Please?"

"Well I'd have preferred an owl or a toad," Serena said sighing, "But if its Delia you want then yes, you can have her. Just don't speak in front of other people, okay sweetie? Wizards tend to be… distrustful of people who can speak Parsletongue."

"Sure!" Damien said, punching his hand to the air and receiving a reproachful look from Delia fro the disturbance on her resting place, "Thanks, mum!"

* * *

A few minutes later, the store clerk had been woken up and given a quick Oblivate, and Damien was happily standing by the register with his snake wrapped around him protectively. The store clerk looked nervous as he ringed up the purchase, sending terrified little glances at the unaware Damien who was happy in his own little world.

"Are you sure you want that snake?" the shopkeeper asked nervously, "It's very poisonous and your son might get hurt."

"Delia won't hurt me," Damien replied, indignantly as Delia hissed in agreement.

"Delia?" the man asked, confused for a moment.

"He means the snake," Harry explained to the perplexed man, "And I'm sure Damien will come to no harm from her. What breed is she, by the way?"

"A purebred sir," the shopkeeper announced, sending the snake another nervous look, "And with all due respect sir, she's part magical poisonous ashwinder and part Brazilian boa constrictor. She can be quite dangerous if handled the wrong way. Are you quite sure you want her?"

"Positive," Harry replied as he sent a warning look to Damien telling him not to interfere, "Can you mail a few crates of mice to my house by owl, sir? And a large, heated cage preferably with a sunlight attached?"

"That can be arranged," the man agreed weakly, "But wouldn't you like a cage now?"

"We'll be fine," Harry answered, handing over his onyx black Gringotts card and hoping that the man would just take the hint and shut up. Thankfully he did and a minute later, the small family was happily walking out of the Animal Emporium with a cheery Damien rapidly chatting to his new pet snake what their home was like- in English of course.

Nevertheless quite a few odd looks were cast in their direction, most aimed at the very large, very deadly looking snake poking her head into Damien's honey blonde hair. Due to all the attention, Delia was receiving, Serena decided to wait outside by the shadowed area near their final stop to keep the shopkeeper from completely panicking and thinking they were Death Eaters. So Harry quietly entered the post office on his own, determined to send a quick owl to both Neville and Luna.

After greeting the shopkeeper, a rather dull man with graying brown hair, he bought some parchment, a quill, some melted wax, and two descript owls and started to address the letter. He could have used Hedwig to send the message, but she was relaxing in the Potter owlry and was far too inconspicuous. Likewise the Potter owls could also easily be noticed with the Potter crest pressed with gold ink on their right wing. So shop owls would have to do.

_To Neville Longbottom_

_Longbottom Manor_

_Dear Neville,_

_To begin with, I just want to say thank you. I know the Department of Mysteries fiasco was my fault and getting you guys dragged into it was possibly the stupidest thing I've ever done but it means a lot to me that you had followed me. Sirius died in there and I would have been crushed if you had, in any way, gotten hurt. So I'm sorry for the trouble I caused and I want to thank you for being there beside me when I needed you to._

_On another note, I also have to apologize for not getting in touch with you over the summer. To be perfectly honest, I believe that the order may be scanning my mail and at first I wasn't sure whom I could trust. But you and Luna have always been beside me since the very beginning and I wanted to personally invite you to my wedding. That's right Neville: I'm getting married! Please pray for me, I'm not sure I'll be able to survive the wedding. I've also become a father in such a short time and I want you to know a bit more about Damien._

_I would like to see you over the summer and help you get a new wand. I know that your father's wand broke and I'd like to get you a new wand by Gregorovitch, a brilliant German wand maker. Please reply as quickly as possible and don't mention any of this to the order. I'm kind of hiding from Dumbledore for the moment._

_Sincerely, Harry Potter_

He rolled up the first one and used some of the wax available to create the Potter seal on the letter to show that it's valid. After tying it up to the offered leg of a barn owl, he took the other piece of parchment and began drafting the second letter.

_To Luna Lovegood_

_Lovegood House_

_Dear Luna,_

_I wanted to say thank you for the giant mess I made when I dragged you and the others to the Department of Mystery. If it weren't because of my blunder, than Sirius would have lived and you and the others wouldn't have gotten hurt. I just want you to know that I'm apologizing for the whole mess and that I'm truly sorry._

_And apparently I'm also getting married and becoming a father. I don't know which terrified me the most. But you are a good friend of mine and I would like you to come to my wedding and meet my son, Damien. I think you two would get along great._

_There's another reason why I'm writing though and I know that you can understand. The Nargles have finally left my head Luna and they've taken all the wrackspurts with them. I'm tired of being the pawn of everyone's manipulations and the victim of some vicious hunter. In my opinion, it's long overdue for the prey to fight back._

_But before I do that, I need to know if you'll stand beside me. I know that it's a lot to ask for after what I've put you through but I need to know right now whether you're an enemy or a friend. I'm sorry for being so blunt but I need a reply immediately and I hope that it's what not what I fear. Please don't tell Dumbledore about me. I'm sort of avoiding him now, although knowing you, you probably knew that before I decided to do so._

_Sincerely, Harry Potter_

He looked over the letter again and with relief, decided it would do. It was caring and friendly without revealing too much about them to be overly dangerous. With a small smile, he attached the letter to the screech owl in front of him and got up to join his family outside. Then, in a burst of shining blue light, the small family of four portkeyed away.


	6. Ramanov Castle

Chapter Six: Ramanov Castle

The floor was made of pure black marble with streaks of emerald green and violet swirling through its gilded center. The room was painted a pale blue, almost white, but the warm lighting shining down from above in the chandelier softened the stark color. Dark, leather furniture lined the room. The scarlet flames shining merrily in the fireplace illuminated two couches, several armchairs, and a small loveseat tucked into the corner.

Harry stumbled a bit as he landed, reaching up to stroke his head, which had hit the edge of the marble fireplace. Damien and Serena seemed to have made the trip unscathed but Delia, who hadn't enjoyed the trip, was hissing in annoyance. Two people were lounging with careless grace on one of the couches but they quickly got up when the blue flash of light, signaling that someone had portkeyed, shined briefly.

"It's alright," Serena said calmly, 'It's just us."

"Oh," one of the people exclaimed, and Harry recognized the honey blonde hair and slender features of Serena's mother, "You came!"'

"With a snake," the other person, Jonathon, said wryly, gazing at the boa constrictor wrapped around Damien with keen violet eyes as the snake, and Harry didn't think it was possible, stuck her tongue out at him, "Why is a boa constrictor wrapped around my grandson? And why is he insulting me?"

"It's not a boy grandpa," Damien explained as Delia hissed in agreement, "She's a girl and her name is Delia. She's part boa constrictor and part poisonous ashwinder and she's my new familiar. Mum and dad got her for me."

"Well that explains everything," Jonathon said and gave the young parents a pointed look, "Why did you buy young Damien a poisonous, constricting-"

"And man eating," Damien cut in with a smile as he sat down in one of the leather couches, carefully balancing Delia next to him.

"- And man eating," Jonathon continued without a hitch, "pet named Delia?"

"He wanted it," Harry admitted, "And he was so lonely without having any kids his age to play with so we bought him the snake."

"And if he gets bitten or killed?" Jonathon asked, "I will not have my only grandson put in harms way because of a pet."

"The snake won't hurt him father," Serena said, with a small smile, "Quite the opposite, in fact. I sincerely feel pity for whoever is stupid enough to mess with Damien now."

"What do you mean?" Melinda asked startled, "How will Damien be safe?"

"Because I can speak to snakes," said troublesome boy piped up, "And Delia says I'm her new master so she'll protect me and drive away all my enemies! But I don't know any enemy for her to drive away yet. Daddy, why don't I have any enemies?"

"Don't worry," Harry said with a grin, "You're a Potter-Black now. Give it a couple of months and I'm sure you'll have an arch rival out for your untimely death sooner or later."

"Don't encourage him," Serena said exasperated as she hit him in the back of his head, "You'll only make things worse!"

"Wait," Jonathon interrupted, looking shocked, and "Damien can speak the ancient tongue of the snakes? How did this happen?"

"Long story short, Harry's a heir of Slytherin," Serena explained quietly, as she rested against the chair, "And apparently Damien inherited the coveted gift at the blood ritual."

"Sometimes I wonder how my life would be like if my family wasn't absolutely fanatical," Melinda interjected with a smile, "But then I remember that it wouldn't be my family without a bit of craziness thrown in an some point. Anyway, it's late now. Why don't I get Damien to bed and then tomorrow we can have the bonding ritual and introduce Harry to his new future subject?"

"That sounds perfect mum," Serena said, smiling widely, "Harry and I will stay up a little though. I want to show him one of my favorite spots in the Citadel."

"Well then it's agreed," Melinda added, hushing a protesting Damien and leading the gloomy boy to his suite," Don't scowl like that Damien. Your parents do want some alone time occasionally and besides it's your bedtime. I'll even get a separate bed made for Delia okay?"

"What would you like to show me?" Harry asked puzzled, and a little nervous as the room emptied out except for them. It wasn't that he didn't trust Serena. The truth was that he trusted her inexplicably, and that scared him. How had he developed such a close bond to someone who was practically a virtual stranger?

He felt that he could love her. Indeed, Serena and Damien were so easy to love and be happy with. But after living with the Dursley's for so long… did Harry even know how to love someone? Serena seemed to have such a perfect, carefree life. Could he be selfish enough to take that peace and happiness away from her by association with a known target like him? Did he want to?

"Don't be so nervous," Serena chided quietly, reaching out to slip her slender hand into his, "I told you I would be with you no matter what. And I'm going to keep that promise. So don't try to get rid of me, you won't succeed."

"I think I'm nervous because I don't want to," Harry answered, feeling her chilly fingers entwine around his, "I think I like you too much. More than I should. More than what's right."

"You're too noble," Serena replied, pulling him toward her through unfamiliar stonewalls until they emerged into the cold air outside, "It's one of the greatest things about you and the worst as well. One day I'll have to get through your thick head that your desires matter too."

Harry had no answer to that and allowed her to pull him across the courtyard and toward the forest. The night air was frigid and every time he breathed, small puffs of white smoke emerged from his mouth. Small twigs and leaves crunched underfoot as Serena led him through a twisting maze of conifer evergreens. His emerald eyes strained against the darkness to get a glimpse of what trail they were following but quickly lost sight. Serena seemed to know where they were going though, so Harry followed her as best he could, trying not to stumble and fall in the underbrush.

After a while they came into sight in a clearing near a small, glistening creek. The silver moonlight from the nearly filled sphere above, danced above the shimmering water, looking enchantingly mystical. The moonlight also made several of Serena's honey blonde strands turn into liquid silver under its light, making the shadowed panes on her face stand out in stark contrast. Harry felt his breath hitch involuntarily.

She looked like a faery as she stood there, a member of the hauntingly beautiful creatures of ancient times. This was the pale splendor that artists like Michelangelo and Da Vinci tried hopelessly to replicate. A symbol of the otherworldly magic in the world, both tantalizingly beautiful and painfully deadly to look at. She was undoubtedly a woman that no mortal could ever hope to replicate.

"I loved this place when I was young." Serena said vaguely, breaking Harry out of his reverie, her violet eyes dreamy, "I used to pretend I was a fairy princess. Silly right? But it seemed that so much magic was by this little pond that anything could be possible."

"I can understand what you mean," Harry agreed looking around, "It looks like a page out of a fairytale. So ethereal that it doesn't seem like you're here at all."

"Exactly," Serena said, smiling slightly, "A place for miracles. We'll need miracles, won't we? Only sixteen and already parents!"

Harry looked at her in concern. Serena looked strained, like she was trying not to let the thought go through her head. But she must be worried. She wasn't like most girls. Serena wouldn't just be thinking of all the fame being Harry Potter's wife would be. She knew that is dangerous. She knew that it could get her killed. But, miraculously, she wanted to stand beside Harry anyway.

The realization shocked him to the core for a minute. No one he knew, in his entire life, had stood by him like that, with so much determination and faith. And now enters a girl he never met before and becomes the greatest part of his life. At that moment, Harry James Potter knew exactly what he had to do.

"We won't need a miracle," Harry said softly, "Because we'll have each other and we'll get through it together."

Then he walked forward, and went down on his knees as he pulled out a small velvet box from inside his jacket. As Serena watched on in disbelief, her violet eyes wide in shock, he held out the platinum diamond and emerald ring without any hesitation.

"Serena Ramanov," Harry asked clearly, "will you marry me?"

She looked at him for a second, her violet eyes being covered by sheen of tears as she took in the bended knees and the ring being offered to her.

"Yes," Serena breathed, letting her place the ring gently through her finger, as she tried not to cry, "Oh, Harry!"

As Harry got up, she rushed into his arms, her honey blonde hair flying wildly as she slipped her hands around her neck. Laughing, Harry picked her up and twirled her into the air, feeling unbelievably happy as the girl of his dreams accepted the proposal. A minute later he gently laid the ecstatic girl down by the pond, the silver moonlight glittering on the tears sliding down her face in small rivulets.

"Don't cry," Harry, whispered, using his hand to gently tip her crying face up and leaning down to brush his lips against hers, "This is a happy occasion." And with that he leaned in again, kissing her softly, and then more passionately as she returned the kiss.

"I love you," Serena said, looking surprised at the words that slipped past her lips without control, as they moved apart from the kiss, and then repeated, with wonder, "I love you. I really do love you."

"I love you too," Harry replied, looking shocked, as he rested his forehead against hers and laughed slightly, "I've never said that to a person before in my life. But I'm saying it now to you, someone I barley know. And I mean it, I really do love you."

"Well you'll have to say it a lot more now," Serena answered, running her finger over his nose and the outline of his lips as she leaned in again to kiss, "You have a family now."

"I do, don't I?" Harry commented in awe, "I have a family now." Then noticing Serena shiver a little, as the wind began to pick up, he shrugged off his new jacket and slipped it around her shaking form. As she smiled back at him in thanks, he took her hand and they walked back into the Ramanov Castle, the emerald gems in her ring shining as brightly as a star.

"And is this all you have to report Dalahov?" a silky voice asked dangerously, his voice like poisoned honey, before it suddenly got more harsh, more guttural, "That Harry Potter has fled his home? Well, find him you fool! The boy must be captured! Crucio!"

And Harry watched in horror as his limbs, looking like a skeletal, bony white hand lifted up, the slender shaft of wood glinting in its gaunt fingers and shoot a burst of red light at the quivering man bowing at the edge of the floor. The brown haired man began screaming, his wails high pitched as he twitched, every nerve ending feeling like it was thrown into a vat of molten lava.

The snake like man sitting on the throne smiled, and laughed, a cruel, bitter, mocking laugh full of twisted joy at the other man's pain. The man kept it for a few minutes longer before releasing the curse and waited impatiently for the quivering sack of flesh below the throne to get control over his body functions.

"I will not tolerate failure again, Dalahov," the man said harshly, " The fiasco at the Ministry was intolerable. To loose to a few teenagers! I will not be so lenient for your mistakes again. Am I clear?"

"Yes, my lord," Dalahov breathed, sounding terrified as he remained crouching on the floor.

"Good," Voldemort, replied sounding pleased, "Find me the Potter boy and bring him to headquarters so I can kill him at my leisure. If you do not succeed, you will become Nagini's next dinner. Now leave me at once!"The man, scrambled up, several of his limbs still twitching at the aftereffects of the Cruciatus Curse he was forced to bear minutes ago, and rushed out of the room. The Dark Lord sat still upon his throne, pale fingers interlaced, as a giant snake slithered across the room and toward him. Almost casually, the twisted man reached out a hand to pet the snake, looking deep in thought as he regarded the closed doors."Wormtail!" Voldemort suddenly called, as another man, looking round like a ball, scurried into the throne room, "Fetch me some unicorns blood immediately! I need to think on how best to kill the Potter boy.""AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH," Harry screamed, bolting up in bed, his emerald eyes wide with fear and his limbs damp and clammy. He sat still on the four-poster bed, taking no notice of the darkened walls, dark holly furniture, or the rich midnight blue brocade hangings that adorned the walls, as his racing heart began to calm down. "It was just a dream," Harry mumbled, shivering despite the warmth of the heavy comforter around him, "I just had a vision of Voldemort. I'm okay. Everything's all right now." "Harry?" A timid voice asked, as the door opened to reveal the silhouette of a tall slender girl, "Harry, are you okay?" He looked up, slightly surprised, as Serena walked on top of the plush carpet, her honey blonde hair glowing from the candle she was holding on her hand. She hesitated for a minute before kicking off her slippers and climbing into the bed next to him. She only sat, her legs crossed, on the velvet coverlet but Harry felt warmth suffuse his cheeks anyway. They had chosen to sleep in separate rooms for the night and he had not expected Serena to casually come into his room like she did so every day.

"How did you know I was having a nightmare?" Harry asked quietly, "You couldn't have heard my scream through the thick walls."

"I heard it through the mate bond," Serena explained, blushing, "And I came here when I felt your fear. So… was that really Voldemort?"

"Yes," Harry answered, looking pained, "I wish you didn't have to see that."

"No," Serena disagreed, "I wanted to. I want to get to know more about you, even the terrible parts. I want to be a part of your life Harry; why do you keep pushing me away?"

"My life's not exactly brilliant," Harry said, sighing, "I usually get those dreams often at night. They're not… pleasant. I've learned to deal with them though."

"But that's hardly fair," Serena injected, sounding furious, "You shouldn't have to deal with it in the first place! If you had your natural Occlumency barriers in place, than you would never have had to deal with this! I'm going to kill Dumbledore!"

"I'm sure you will," Harry replied, smiling faintly, "And I love you for it. But what's done is done. The best thing I can do now is suck it up and deal with it."

"Well your not going to do it alone," Serena said fiercely, as she slipped under the covers with ease, "I'm staying here with you, tonight."

"You don't have to," Harry protested, blushing, "I mean… we're not married yet."

"We don't have to do anything, Harry," Serena said, laughing, as she slipped her hands around him and snuggled in closer to the warmth, "I'm just going to keep you company for the night, okay?"

"If you say so," Harry mumbled, going back to bed, as Serena idly ran her fingers through his jet-black hair, "Good night, Serena."

"Good night, Harry," Serena replied, smiling. A moment later, Harry slipped back into his dreams, slender arms wrapped around him and an odd soothing melody being hummed into his ears. Within minutes, he was happily asleep, and for one blessed night, the nightmares didn't come to him again.

Serena stared down at the young man, sleeping in her arms, and felt a mixture of love and protectiveness rush through her body. This was her mate and she would keep him safe from the Dark Lord if she had to. No one would endanger her family. Not if she had anything to say about it. And Serena Ramanov had a lot to say about it.

He looked younger asleep, his pale face smooth and without any of the concerns that plagued him when he was awake. His vivid emerald eyes didn't look so haunted, so filled with endless sadness and pain. The eyes of someone who had only seen sorrow, Draco had said once, eyes that had seen far beyond their years and had the memories imprinted into them. They were enthralling, captivating in their grief, like darkened emeralds, but the misery also made them eternal, above human contact and love.

Serena couldn't let that happen. The glowing depths of those eyes would be filled with delight soon, and satisfaction. Harry had to suffer his whole life to make others find joy; it was time that he got to experience some happiness for himself.

"Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy," the chant went on above him and a small weight pressed himself against Harry's stomach, "Daddy, wake up!"

"Hmmm," Harry said groggily, as he opened his eyes only to find an equally brilliant shade of emerald staring back at him, "What the hell?"

"Very eloquent Potter," an amused, drawling voice said from the corner, "And in front of the child too. No wonder your getting voted Best Parent of the Year."

Harry groaned, recognizing the voice in a heartbeat. The second he looked up confirmed his fears. His annoying, aristocratic blonde cousin had arrived.

"Buzz off Drake," Harry said, in irritation, before he turned his attention to the comfortable weight on his chest "Damien, can you get off daddy for a minute?"

"Okay," Damien chirped, beaming as he scrambled off his father, "Look daddy, Uncle Draco came to visit!"

"I can see that," Harry said, as he slipped out of bed, "Where's Serena?"

"What's wrong Harry," Draco asked grinning, "Did my little cousin do something last night that he shouldn't have? Youare still a virgin right?"

"Shut up," Harry scowled, at the grinning teen, "We didn't do anything. But seriously, where is Serena? And what are you doing here?"

"Nice way to treat your cousin," Draco mock huffed, "I'll have you know that I came here early, as tradition dictates, to help you get ready for the bonding so you won't make a complete fool of yourself and embarrass the Black family. And of course so I can see my beautiful future sister-in-law and my wonderful, little nephew. Have you chosen a best man for the wedding yet?"

Harry blinked in surprise as he said, "I thought you were going to be the best man?"

"Me?" Draco repeated, looking shocked, "The honor is usually for a close family member or friend of the groom. Are you sure?"

"Of course I am," Harry, said, indignantly, "Your one of my closest friends and my closest living relative. Naturally, you'll be the best man! Didn't you know that?

"No," Draco admitted, still looking a bit surprised and more humbled, "But it's an honor that you think of me that way. I'll try my best to live up to it, cousin. Thank you."

"No problem," Harry said, waving his hand in a vague motion, as his stomach grumbled, "When will we have breakfast?"

"Right now, master Harry Potter sir," a high-pitched voice squeaked, as a happy dobby, wearing the Potter uniform appeared with a small pop and a tray full of steaming waffles in his hands, "Dobby has come to give the great Harry Potter sir his breakfast! Then Master Harry will have to get ready for the bonding ceremony in a few hours!"

"Bonding ceremony?" Harry asked hesitantly, as he poured some syrup and melted butter on the steaming waffles, "What will I have to do?"

"Oh, a lot of things," Draco said airily, with a small smirk reappearing on his face, as Damien left the room to go find Melinda, "Tradition is long and tedious, you know. And there's no way that you'll embarrass the Potter or Black family by not taking part i0n it to perfection. That is why I am here now rather than in my soft, and comfy bed. I'll give you a crash course on what to do, what to say, which utensils to use, and the, such after breakfast. Then your house elf- Winky, I believe- will bring your bonding outfit that she sewed and we will go greet the guests and I'll see my baby cousin get married!"

"I'm only three months younger than you," Harry objected with a scowl, "And I'm far more mature. So how did I get to become the baby?"

"Because that's three months more than you, that I had to get acquainted with the world," Draco explained, with an arrogant smirk, "Besides who's teaching who on how to get married?"

"Who's been engaged longer?" Harry retorted, "I proposed to Serena last night!"

"That was last night," Draco, replied, "You've been engaged to your mate for a grand total of nine hours!"

"That's nine hours longer than you ever had," Harry pointed out smugly, "Where is Serena?"

"In another wing of the castle," Draco answered shrugging, "You can't see her until the bonding. It's tradition for luck."

"Knowing me, we'll need a lot of luck," Harry said darkly before looking up from his nearly finished pancakes, "Are you the only guest who came so far?"

"My mother and I came," Draco replied, "But none of the others had arrived yet. Longbottom and Lovegood have sent you letters though."

"They have?" Harry asked, through a mouthful of saturated maple syrupy heaven, "I need to read them immediately."

"Don't worry Master Harry," Dobby cut in, his tennis ball eyes filled with adoration, "I brought the letters with me! Mister Harry Potter's friends have written them! And I have three from the Weasel and the Granger, sir. Shall I burn them?"

"Weasel and Granger sent you letters too?" Draco asked curiously as Dobby handed all the letters over, "Well, they've certainly got some nerve!"

"Maybe," Harry remarked, "But I think I'll read them anyway. I could certainly use a good laugh right now and Ron's letter is sure to give me some."

And with a small smile at his cousin, Harry quickly slit off the cover of the parchment and unfolded it to find Ron's, Hermione's and Ginny's letters falling down. With an amused smirk, he picked them up, one by one to read it, with a curious Draco reading over his shoulder.

_Hey Mate,_

_Why'd you disappear from Private Drive mate? I mean, we know the Dursley's are pigs but surely you must be exaggerating! If you wanted to give them the slip than you really should have told me! I mean, aren't we best mates?_

_But don't worry; I forgive you even though you dragged me to the Ministry last year. The brains from the tank gave me life long scars, now how am I going to date lavender this year? Seriously mate; you've got to learn to stop playing hero already. If you didn't Sirius might even have been alive._

_Look, just mail, back your destination with Hedwig and we'll come to pick you up okay? We can spend the rest of the summer in the Burrow and I'll even let you date Ginny if you want. You know she's been in love with you since first year, and I'm not very keen on having her date anybody, but I think I'll make an exception for the Boy- Who- Lived._

_-Ron_

"He has got to be kidding," Draco finally voiced in disbelief as he looked down at his cousin, "He's blaming you for the Department of Mysteries? It's his fault for insisting on going with you on the first place! I can't believe he's stupid enough to do that!"

"Believe me, Weasley is far beyond the realm of stupid. He's purely idiotic. What surprises me most is how long and well written this letter is," Harry said, blithely, although Draco could see the pain lurking in his eyes. To be accused of killing your own beloved godfather after his death by a supposed best friend turned rival can hurt anyone, even the legendary Boy- Who- Lived. No matter how hard Harry tried to hide it, he was feeling pain.

"His girlfriend must have helped him write it," Draco agreed, sneering at the word girlfriend although he looked down at his cousin with worry, "Harry, are you sure you want to…"

"-Read the rest of the letters," Harry finished, with a mocking smile, "Don't worry Drake. I can handle a few petty insults." And with that, he dropped the parchment with Ron's untidy scrawl and opened Hermione's neat cursive.

_Dear Harry,_

_I can't express how disappointed I am that you would just run away from the Dursleys! Dumbledore told you that you had to stay there for your own protection so you have to go back. For once, think of someone other than yourself Harry. If it's not bad enough that you already managed to kill Sirius last year and nearly lead us to our deaths, you don't have to put your last remaining relatives in trouble too!_

_On that note, I hope you have thought your decision through and will agree to return to Private Drive for the summer. You have to know that we only want what's best for you and I want you to get over Sirius's death too. His will reading will be soon; did you receive a letter from Gringotts that names you one of the benefactors? I did!_

_The Black's were a wealthy family so I wonder what I will get from Sirius. I hope it's the Black family library! Can you imagine what all those obscure family spells and powerful enchantments would be like? Oh, I'm so exited! I know Sirius will leave me the books. After all, he knows that I love reading!_

_Reply back soon, Harry and finish your summer homework, okay?_

_Love, Hermione_

"I don't know about her," Harry admitted, confused. "It dosen't seem like her usual self. I mean, she wasn't this greedy or this loyal to Dumbledore a month ago."

"I agree," said Draco, "This letter doesn't seem like her at all. Maybe loyalty or love potions? Or both?"

"Most likely", Harry agreed, "We'll have to find a way to warn her. Maybe at the Will Reading? She would be a great asset."

"OK, we'll talk about this later, on to the she-weasel's letter", said Draco, exasperated.

_Dear Harry,_

_I have to say I'm still a bit worried from the Department of Mysteries thing but I totally forgive you for it. After all, you saved my life in first year and this is the least I can do to repay you. I'll help you with all of the issues you have with Voldemort and then when he's gone we can finally be happy!_

_I'm worried about how you may be dealing with Sirius though. I hope your okay Harry, but ditching the Dursley's was not the way to deal with your issues. If you ever need help than I want you to know that you'll always have a shoulder to cry on._

_I think you should visit the Burrow this summer anyway. It'll be great to see you again. I feel like I've barley gotten to know you in my entire life and I'd like to remedy that. I would love to see you soon and then maybe we can hang out together._

_Love, Ginny_

"The she- Weasel almost seems decent," Draco stated, "Why does she seem decent? And don't you think the letter sounds a bit too desperate? I mean, "have a shoulder to cry on" and "barley gotten to know you" is laying it on a bit too thick."

"That's probably because her mum helped write this," Harry replied, looking through the letter again, "This looks a lot like Mrs. Weasleys handwriting. In fact, I'm almost positive that it isMrs. Weasleys handwriting."

"She wants her daughter to marry the Chosen One that badly?" Draco asked, in surprise, "Well I certainly hope that she never tries to set you two together when Serena's around. On second thought, I hope that she does. Serena would be furious."

"Nice to know," Harry said, wincing, "Now that these worthless pieces of shit have been read, I suppose I should read the letters Neville and Luna have sent. Heaven knows, I need something to cheer me up. Here Dobby, I need you to put these dishes away."

As Dobby took the indicated dishes as well as the horrible letters and popped back to Potter Manor, Harry opened another letter only to see Neville's smooth handwriting on the paper.

_Dear Harry,_

_I'm sorry to start out a letter like this but you are a complete idiot. Of course it's not your fault that I followed you to the Department of Ministry! You told me to go back but I insisted on going and the choice was all mine so you shouldn't feel so guilty for it._

_You've been my closest friend and the only person who ever trusted in me to be a great wizard instead of a squib. Even when Ron and Hermione pretended to be nice to me, they still felt that I would amount to nothing, but you never did that. You've always thought of me as a great wizard and let me reach my full potential. I admired you since the first day of school, for your bravery and your kindness, even more than I did Dumbledore._

_A Potter and a Longbottom had always been friends, ever since Hogwarts first started and I'd be glad to stand beside you no matter what happens. I've always known you were a good person and I've always respected your ideals and he faith you put in others. If you think Dumbledore can't be trusted than I believe you and I'll follow you t the end of the world to help you. You are and always have been my leader Harry, not Dumbledore._

_I want to thank you for the wedding invite. Though I'm just worried about one tiny thing. WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED? YOUR ONLY SIXTEEN, YOU BLOODY IDIOT!_

_Please tell me you aren't marrying Ginny of all people. I know this will sound amazingly rude, but I don't think Ginny is who she pretends to be. I took her to the Yule ball in fourth year and all she could chatter on about is how she'll become the wife of the famous Boy- Who- Lived. And you shouldn't marry a person who only loves you for your name rather than the type of person that you are._

_But I would like to know Damien, any Potter boy is destined to do something extraordinary and I'd like to meet the next future Hogwarts troublemaker. And thank you for the offer to buy me a new wand. I would love to accept it and spend the rest of the summer with you. I've asked my grandmother about it and the minute I mentioned your name, I got her permission to stay in Potter Manor. See you at the wedding._

_Neville_

"Hmm, Longbottom seems surprisingly sensible," Draco, noted, "And he's right to say that you're an idiot for thinking that everything is your fault. It's a bit too filled with Gryffindor sentimentality but it's a good letter nonetheless. Now, all Longbottom has to do is get rid of that crippling shyness and he'll be all set to become the friend of a Black."

"Neville Longbottom and Draco Black Malfoy," Harry said thoughtfully, "I think Nev will freak out if you ever tell him that he's eligible to be your friend. He's terrified of you, you know."

"I'm a Malfoy," Draco said, shrugging, as though that explained everything and in most cases it did. Harry just shook his head, in an exasperated movement before putting the letter down with a smile and picking up the final piece of parchment. Luna's thin; spidery writing flowed across the page in what appeared to be emerald green ink.

_Dear Harry,_

_The answer to your last question is you and only you. You and Neville have been my only friends ever since I started Hogwarts. You two are the only people to see beyond my crazy exterior and bothered to get to know the real me, so I chose to join you at the Department of Mysteries. It. Is. Not. Your. Fault. So I hope that you finally understand that._

_And it's good to know that the Wrackspurts have finally left your head. Now you can finally fight the snake. But I'm warning you Harry; you are covered in spider webs. The good news is that you're learning to throw them off of you, Lord Desamond. You'll find solace in the dragon and the bat, in your family the cheetah, the panther, and the wolf, and finally in yourself. Let the true Harry Potter shine out. A snake hidden in the Lions Den shall not suffice. Likewise, wearing a cloak of shadows does not make you a slave to the darkness._

_Love, Luna_

"Huh?" was Draco's only remark.

"That's classic Luna for you," Harry finally said laughing, although the last paragraph had unnerved him greatly, "I think her family is part Seer. That would explain her uncanny ability to know what's going on without anyone having to tell her. Because I know, I never mentioned that I was Lord Desamond to her."

"Maybe," Draco said doubtfully, "But what's all the nonsense about animals for?"

"I think they stand for people," Harry said, thoughtfully, "Voldemort is the snake and I'm covered in spider webs which stand for Dumbledore's manipulations. But I'm learning how to throw those spider webs off of me. Your name is Draconis, or dragon, and apparently you'll help me although I have no clue that the bat might stand for. My family is the cheetah, the panther, and the wolf. Maybe that means Serena and Damien in their animagus forms and the wolf could stand for Remus, my dad's old friend!"

"But what does it mean when it says," Draco asked, reading the lines, "A snake hidden in the Lions Den shall not suffice. Likewise, wearing a cloak of shadows does not make you a slave to the darkness."

"The Sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin," Harry murmured, ignoring Draco's jerk of surprise, "It said that I'm meant for great things and the Slytherin House would help me on my way to glory. But I refused because I thought the house was full of evil maniacs like Voldemort. It's one of my best-kept secrets. And Luna means that I should accept that I am a Slytherin at heart. But even if the house is labeled for darkness or evil, that doesn't mean I'll end up a Death Eater."

"Well I'll give the girl this," Draco finally said, "She's not an idiot that's for sure."

"Luna never was," Harry replied grinning, "She didn't become a Ravenclaw for nothing you know. But now that the letters are done, I suppose that you'll want to begin."

"Exactly," Draco agreed, standing up from the armchair he was leaning on, "Now if you are to get married and not embarrass the Most Ancient ad Noble House of Black, you must…"


	7. The Bonding

Chapter 7: The Bonding

Her honey blonde hair was put up in a bun and held there by a gold circlet with emeralds centered inside it. The white silk of the dress robe was done in a simple and elegant design and was a beautiful contrast to her pale skin. The dim lighting that the forest showed made her features seems softer somehow. Against the dark shadows of the twilight, her profile was light and striking, and amazingly untouchable.

She was the most beautiful thing Harry had ever seen. He wasn't even aware that his mouth was open, gaping, until Draco, in a surprising show of cousin loyalty, helpfully closed it for him. Of course the snickers coming from the best man's direction didn't exactly help his case. But Harry was beyond caring on whether or not Draco found this extremely hilarious.

Serena continued to walk gracefully up the aisle before she stood in front of him, a giddy smile on her beautiful face. As the wedding bonder began to chant in an old Dryad language, she slipped her hand in his and gave him a reassuring squeeze. Which was probably best because Harry had no idea what he was supposed to do now. Despite all of Draco's quick lessons, the information had just seeped out of his head.

When the Dryad turned to him, probably expecting him to say something, there was one tense moment where Harry tried desperately to remember what exactly he was supposed to say. It was after the bridesmaid, a pretty brunette friend of Serena's whom he had never met until today, gave him a discreet kick in the shins that he remembered just what.

"I, Harry James Potter- Black," Harry began, hesitantly and then with more meaning as he looked at Serena and switched to the Dryad part, "Accept the bond of Serena. By the Earth in my body, the Fire in my soul, the Water in my blood, and the Air in my dreams, I accept the link willingly, knowing that it would bind us through peace and war, blood and fire, and eternal bliss to hellish damnation. This is my vow."

Serena smiled at him and added in her melodious voice, "I, Serena Ramanov, accept the bond of Serena. By the Earth in my body, the Fire in my soul, the Water in my blood, and the Air in my dreams, I accept the link willingly, knowing that it would bind us through peace and war, blood and fire, and eternal bliss to hellish damnation. This is my vow."

"Then the bond is accepted," the Dryad finished before adding, "And I give you my blessing. The path that you take is a long and perilous one. You will have foes and sorrow at every corner but your allies are strong. Find solace in their light for only under the guidance of your heart will you find true happiness. Indeed, the path to eternal bliss is a difficult one and wrought with danger at every step. One mistake will damn you and cast you to the shadows but a pure heart will be the only thing to save you again."

"Thank you Dryad," Serena said respectfully, after recovering from her shock, "Indeed the blessings of one such as you are rare and well cherished. Truly, it will give us power over the darkness we will face."

The Dryad nodded and stepped back as he motioned for them to kiss. Then, with no thought of the assortment of guests watching them, including a bored Damien, Harry took her face in his hands and leaned in for a light kiss. The minute that happened a bright white light flashed around them and Harry felt an increasing power from his core, so intense that it was painful, as it crushed all the barriers Dumbledore put inside of him and healed the damage in its wake.

As the magic ran through him, Harry pulled away from Serena with a gasp, the bright light still shining around him. Serena looked similarly surprised at the magic as it began to fade into their skin, leaving behind a faint glow of light in its wake. The magic receded back into his core, and for a second Harry had to sway uncertainly as the excess power inside of him settled down. If it didn't sound so completely wrong, he would even claim that the magic was purringinside of him. Either way, it radiated a sense of satisfaction and glee from inside of his core if that was possible.

"Remember when I said you never do anything by half," Draco finally said, as Harry's aura of pure magic lightened, "Well I recede that. You manage to do three times as much as what anyone expects. The only thing reliable about you is that you'll never be reliable!"

"You'd think as my best man, you'd give a bit more consideration to me," Harry retorted, grinning, "Besides normal is way overrated."

That seemed to have been the thing everyone needed to ease up as several of the guests began to laugh and walk up to congratulate the newly bonded couple. Draco and Rosa, the bridesmaid friend of Serena's- went off the dance as Damien, quickly followed by Neville and Luna, walked up to the pair.

"Daddy, you and Mum were shining again," Damien reported with all the conviction of a seven year old, "I want to shine too!"

"Not anytime soon I hope," Harry replied grinning, "That would mean your getting married."

Damien considered that for a moment before asking seriously, "Does that mean I'll have to kiss a girl?"

"Of course," Harry answered, with a straight face, "You'll have to do it in front of everyone."

The young blonde boy just made a face and said, with all the disgust that a sweet seven year old could muster, he exclaimed, "Girls are disgusting! There's no way I'm going to kiss one! I don't want to sparkle anymore, daddy."

"He's a smart boy," Neville laughed, as he walked up, "It's good to see you again Harry."

"You too Neville," Harry replied, grinning, and brought Serena closer, "This is my wife Serena and this is Damien. Serena, Damien this is my school friend Neville Longbottom."

"It's nice to meet you," Neville said, genuinely pleased, "It's nearly impossible to get Harry to open up to anyone. You must be a very extraordinary person to capture his guarded heart."

"Likewise," Serena said, blushing, "But he speaks very highly of you as well. I would like to thank you for fighting alongside him in the Department of Mysteries."

"A Potter and a Longbottom have always been allies," Neville replied, shrugging, "I was just continuing the tradition. Harry has always been a good friend of mine and I wanted to help."

"We both did," a dreamy voice cut in as Harry looked up to see the slender form of Luna Lovegood walk up to them, "It's nice to see that Harry finally found his mate. He was nearly unbearable last year. Waves of longing and love kept radiating from him as his bond link tried to connect him to you despite Dumbledore's barriers. Hi, I'm Luna."

"It's very nice to meet you, Luna," Serena said, looking slightly ill at ease as she looked at the oddly knowing girl, "I must say you seem quite… well informed."

Luna's dirty blonde hair shook as she laughed; the notes coming out like a river falling down on clear stones. She was wearing dark evergreen robes, a fairly inconspicuous color for her usually bright tastes, but she accessorized it with her butterbeer cork necklace and a pair of dark purple onion earrings. Her clear blue eyes, always so perceptive and vigilant, were filled with amusement now and she looked happier than she did in ages.

Then again, so did Neville. He was wearing well-tailored robes of dark navy blue. A bit subtle and unnoticeable but still gave off a feeling of elegance and aristocratic grace that Draco would no doubt approve of. He seemed taller now, with all of his baby fat gone, and more confident like he knew who he was and what he could do. He also seemed to give covert glances in Luna's direction every once in a while but if the blonde noticed his attentions than she certainly didn't give any indication of it.

"I'm part Seer," Luna explained, with a small smile, "And part Dryad so I get feelings of emotions and things. And believe me, Harry's emotions were pretty plain to see."

"Really?" Serena said hopefully, beginning to like this odd, quirky girl.

"Oh, most definitely," Luna assured with an evil grin on her face, "Honestly at first I thought he had lost a beloved pet or something. He was that sad after not getting to see you. And heaven knows his temper hadn't improved that year. I'm pretty sure even Umbridge mistook him for a stick of dynamite once in a while."

"Daddy was a stick of dynamite?" Damien piped up curiously, "What's dynamite?"

"It's a Muggle explosive," Luna informed him gently as she bended down to smile into his emerald eyes, "You're a very nice boy. You have your mother's beautiful honey blonde hair and your father's rare emerald green eyes. Your very lucky, you know."

"I know," Damien, replied, beaming up at her, "Are you one of my daddy's friends? Did you help him fight the evil snake man?" Neville bended down to Damien's eye level as well to speak to him although he looked a little sad as he answered the young boy.

"We're Harry's friends," Neville answered, "And yes, we did fight Voldemort along side of him. But we've never met before, have we? Are you the new famous Potter boy whom I've heard so much about? You look a lot like one."

"Thank you," Damien answered, bouncing up and down on his feet, "Daddy says I'm the heir to the Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter and Black. And I'm a prince too!"

"You're royal?" Neville looked surprised, "When did this happen?"

"Apparently quite a lot happened when we weren't around," Luna mused, "Tell me how is the beloved Headmaster these days? Still no clue that your about to revolt?"

"Revolt?" Neville exclaimed, looking thoroughly disturbed, "What are you all talking about?"

"Neville, my good friend," Harry interrupted, his voice surprisingly calm as he laid a hand on the troubled aristocrat, "Quite a lot has happened since our last encounter. We have much to discuss. I trust that you'll be here for the remainder of the summer?"

"Of course," Neville replied, automatically, "And you can tell me everything about it then. But today is your wedding day and I'm not going to have anything ruin it now. You and Serena should go mingle with the guests. We've certainly kept you here long enough and your mother-in-law is looking very… emotional now. Luna and I will be happy to get to know Damien better until then."

"That would be great," Harry said and hesitated slightly, "Serena and I have been wondering. You're my best friend Neville, just like a brother to me, and I think of Luna as my sister. We would like it if you guys had a closer relationship with Damien… perhaps, as his godparents?"

"Us?" Luna answered him, looking momentarily stunned.

"Well, that is if you want to," Harry hastily said, backtracking quickly, "I can understand if you wish to refuse the offer…"

"No," Luna interjected, a large grin breaking apart in her face, "What I mean to say is that I'd be delighted! Damien is an amazing child and I'd love to be his godmother!"

"It would be an honor for me too," Neville added eagerly, "I'm glad you thought of us."

"So it's decided then," Serena replied, "We'll have the magical papers on his godparents ready and you can sign them later. Will that do?" '

"That would be fine," Neville answered for the both of them as Luna was too engrossed in a conversation with her future godson about how Nargles affected the mating cycle the Purple Horned Snorkacks. The young couple just smiled when they saw their sons wide emerald eyes, expand even farther as Luna enthusiastically told him what a Nargle was.

"She's very imaginative," Serena commented, sounding slightly amused as she glanced back at her son, "Yet she also conveys a sense of power and wisdom. I sense much sorrow and pain shadowing her like a cloak and yet her heart still remains pure and untouched. She seems both old and young at once. You have very interesting friends, my love."

"Luna is rather fascinating, isn't she?" Harry agreed as they casually strolled toward a happily sobbing Melinda and a rather distressed Jonathon, "She's a kind person and very loyal to her friends but she can seem a bit… odd."

"Seems like a major understatement," Serena said, "Your other friend, Neville. He is, without a doubt, completely loyal to you. If only my father had a hundred soldiers like him. But the Longbottom boy will never abandon you in battle or cause you pain. You're very lucky you find someone like him. Indeed, I still wonder how you manage to get so many supporters."

"I don't get that many," Harry, informed her, "I only have few who are truly loyal to me."

"But those who are will fight to the death to protect you," Serena replied, "They are dedicated to your cause and will follow your orders without a seconds hesitation. Not to mention they are incredibly powerful in their own ways. Allies like that, and more importantly friends, are worth the whole world. You will be lucky to find another with their amount of faith. I think if you decided to toss it all and join the dark side, they would still follow you there regardless."

"I suppose you're right," Harry murmured thoughtfully and then smiled, "I am lucky to have friends like that Serena. Thank you, for helping me understands that. I have to speak to Draco about the Potter and Black political stance for a minute; maybe you should comfort your mother while I do so."

Serena followed his gaze to where a beautiful honey blonde woman was happily sobbing while her husband stood by looking completely freaked out on what to do.

"Your right," Serena replied, turning toward her crying mother after releasing her grip on Harry's hand reluctantly, "I really dislike politics anyway so I should help mum instead. Talk quickly; we have to go meet the other vampires in the castle you know."

"We do?" Harry asked looking momentarily unsure, "What if they don't like me because I'm human? I don't want to cause any harm to your subjects."

"You won't," Serena assured, laughing, "A few might be angry that you're human but after you bond with me, you'll have all the powers of a vampire. Besides we have a mate bond and no one could disrepute that no matter how much they hate it. You'll be a wonderful crown prince Harry; the people will love you because you want to help them."

"Where are they though?" Harry wondered, asking the question that had puzzled him ever since they got here, "The castle seems completely deserted! There are no vampires here at all in the wedding or anywhere else for that matter."

"Oh this isn't the Citadel," Serena explained, "This is just one of the vacation homes that we reserve for wizard visitors and diplomats. The vampire race actually lives in an alternate universe like a layer world or a space bubble inside the seams of space and time. These little pocket bubbles hold our true world. We have castles, houses, towns, schools and everything there. And it's always sunny because we managed to create our own artificial ball of light that doesn't burn us. We only come to this world occasionally to attend Wizarding institutes and to keep up with general politics."

"That's amazing," Harry, exclaimed, "It's like a whole new world there isn't it?"

"It is," Serena agreed, smiling at his enthusiasm as she leaned in to place a small kiss on his lips, "And I can't wait for you and Damien to see it. I have to go see to mum now. We'll travel to the Vampire world in an hour along with Neville and Luna so you can meet your new subjects, all right? And don't worry; I know they'll love you."

"Thanks," Harry replied, "I'll be talking to Draco for a few minutes but we'll be ready as soon as possible." She nodded and turned to her now relieved looking father while Harry walked over to his sardonic cousin. Draco was leaning against a maple tree at the edge of the dance floor, his arms crossed as he gazed at someone at the other side of the clearing.

Harry followed his cousin's gaze until it came to rest on a tall, lithe brunette chatting to a couple of the guests by the foyer. She was definitely beautiful, with long shiny chestnut brown hair, distinct hazel eyes that he could see even from here, and creamy white features. He vaguely recognized her as Serena's bridesmaid, mostly because he could still feel the bruise she caused by kicking him in the shins during the ceremony. Even though Harry would argue that Serena was much more beautiful, he had to admit that this girl was quite pretty.

"It's not attractive if a fly gets into your mouth," Harry informed the blond teen, "You're a little too obvious Drake. What happened to the famous Malfoy control?" Draco immediately shut his mouth and turned to glare at his cousin.

"It was never here," Draco said calmly, "I'm not a Malfoy anymore remember? I'm a Black."

"Sorry," Harry said, hastily as he recognized his mistake, "I didn't think that choosing to support me would-"

"You never think Potter. The Slytherin House must have been really desperate to pick you for a member," Draco cut in, with his familiar smirk before he suddenly grew more serious, "But yes, by choosing to fight for you, I gave up my place as a Malfoy. Not that I care. My father was a bastard. He was just… my father, you know?"

"Feeling doubts," Harry asked, looking concerned, "I can understand if you don't want to be part of the fighting Drake. I don't want you to have to kill your own father."

"No," Draco said, smiling wearily, "He's a monster. I would have done it anyway. You just gave me a good excuse to do so. I told you, I would fight beside you Harry. And I will. You're my Lord now and I think that Voldemort is a psychopath. You have my loyalty."

"Thanks Draco, that means a lot to me," Harry said, genuinely pleased. When he saw that the gratitude was making Draco uncomfortable, he started changing track. "So who's the pretty girl, amazing enough to turn my arrogant cousin into a love struck Hufflepuff?"

"I am not a love struck Hufflepuff!" Draco protested, before he saw that Harry was trying not to laugh, "Oh, ha ha ha. I am the girl… well her name's Kayla and well… I think… I like her. A lot I mean. She's just so smart, and so beautiful, and so kind, and so-"

"Um… Drake, you're starting to ramble," Harry said, looking amused, "So you seem to really like this girl. Don't you want to know her first?"

"I've known her since I was five Harry," Draco said, still gazing at the girl in wonder, "She was one of my closest friends. I thought I would be happy with that. I thought she would be a sort of pseudo sister to me like Serena is. But since this summer… I guess I just want more than friendship. And I have no idea what to do abut it."

"I wish I could be more help," Harry said shrugging, "But I've never actually had a girlfriend before. And now I just got married to my soul mate. Does that sound wrong to you?"

"It would," Draco replied, "But this is Harry Potter we're talking about. The only thing dependable about you is that you'll never be dependable. Normal rules don't apply."

"Well, I do have one piece of advice," Harry answered, "Follow your heart Draco." His cousin laughed in amusement before he noticed that Harry wasn't kidding.

"No, seriously, what's the advice? Oh come on, you can't be serious. It sounds like something Dumbledore would say!" Draco exclaimed, exasperated. When a sheepish look came over Harry's face, the teen actually groaned. "Don't tell me that actually is Dumbledore's advice."

"You have to admit," Harry said, grinning, "The man may be a manipulating puppeteer. But he totally has that all knowing, Zen Buddhist thing going on."

"What's Zen Buddhist?" Draco asked, looking typically confused like every other pureblood. This time it was Harry's turn to groan in annoyance.

"One day, my dear cousin, I will drag you to a Muggle cinema and force you to watch an Indiana Jones movie," Harry said, "But that wasn't what I wanted to talk to you about. Have you considered what you will do after school?"

"I haven't given all that much thought to it really," Draco replied honestly, "I was too worried on whether or not I was going to survive the war myself. But I think I would like a job that has to do with politics. I'm good at that kind of stuff."

"I'm glad you think that," Harry said, grinning, "Because I was wondering if you would be willing to be my proxy for all of my families starting this summer."

"Wait, what?" Draco said, looking astonished at the idea of all that political power that he didn't even think to ask about the payment, "Me?"

"Yes, you," Harry said, looking amused, "You said it yourself cousin, your good at politics. I'm not. You have years of practice at this kind of stuff and I would like your help. I need to set the Wizarding world at rights and I have no idea how to go about doing that. You on the other hand, know plenty. I want someone trustworthy do push acts in my name. And I want you."

"Thank you," Draco said, looking awed, "That you show so much trust in me… Harry, I don't want to fail you. There are many more as equally experienced as me and more. Are you sure you don't want to pick someone better?"

"None that I trust as much as I trust you," Harry said firmly and then added with a grin, "Besides I'm willing to pay ten thousand Galleons a week. Will you really refuse that offer?"

"No," Draco answered, still looking a little shocked although it was soon beginning to be replaced by excitement and the light of a scheming mastermind who knew whatever he did would be amazing and couldn't wait to start it. Slytherins could be scary like that sometimes.

Harry left his cunning cousin behind as he walked over to Serena. With an ease that seemed so perfect, he took her into his arms and gave her a light, lingering kiss. When Jonathon cleared his throat, he finally let go of her although nothing could stop the wide grin on his face. It seemed like he had only found out now. He was married! And to the woman of his dreams no less.

"Daddy," the scolding voice of a little Damien piped up as he ran over to his parents, "Don't kiss mum outside! The Nargles might catch you!"

"Really?" Harry asked a teasing grin on his face as Luna and Neville also walked up behind him. The young boy nodded seriously, obviously proud to have warned his father away from some horrible evil.

"Oh yes!" Damien said, solemnly, "Aunt Luna told me!"

"Well, we can't ever ignore the words of wisdom from Aunt Luna, can we?" Harry chuckled, before a servant by the looks of him rushed up to the group with Kayla following behind. After hearing Draco practically declare his love for this girl, Harry viewed her with a whole new interest. After all, if Draco's wish came true than she might just be his sister-in-law someday.

"What are you thinking?" Serena said quietly, slipping her hand through Harry's elbow as she smiled at him.

"Your friend," Harry replied, "Draco's got a crush on her. If he has his way and Draco's the type who usually does, than she just might be my future sister in law."

"Good point," Serena murmured, sounding gleeful, "I was waiting months for those two to figure out they're meant for each other. Kayla's definitely interested, no matter how much she might deny it. If Draco feels the same way, then my best friend might just be my sister some day! I can't wait!" Harry laughed quietly at her obvious enthusiasm.

"Oh no my love," he teased gently, "Why do I hear some manipulating going on in there? You're not going to play Cupid with these two fools, are you?"

"Who, me?" Serena asked innocently, "Just trying to help two friends in love."

"I'm not sure if they'll appreciate that type of help," Harry pointed out.

"I know, but I'm in love and so happy," Serena sighed, "I want them to experience that happiness too. Maybe Kayla can go to Hogwarts with us?"

"That does sound like a good idea," Harry agreed, "Just promise me you wouldn't go overboard with all this matchmaking business." He didn't get the promise from her because just at that minute Damien's exalted shout of "Delia!"cut through the air at that moment.

Harry and Serena turned to see the relieved servant handing an equally exited Purebred part poisonous ashwinder and part boa constrictor over to the happy six year old.

"Your portkey is ready, my sire," the servant said, handing over a water canteen to the king who accepted it graciously.

"Was it really the wisest thing to buy a little boy a poisonous snake hybrid?" Kayla asked, looking amused as she walked over to Serena.

"He's a Potter- Black so apparently that means he gets dangerous pets," Serena answered, shrugging, "He's also going to practice sword fighting apparently." Kayla blinked, looking shocked before she replied.

"You're going to give your seven year old son a sword and a poisonous snake?" Kayla asked, looking concerned, "Has marriage made you insane?"

"Yes, but that's not the reason why," Serena answered, pausing before she smiled, "It turns out that Harry can speak the ancient tongue of serpents. Oh, and he's a direct descendent of King Arthur. We actually have the sword Excalibur in Harry's trunk right now. And you know how King Arthur's descendents are always so brilliant with swordplay. Well Damien inherited all of his father's abilities although I'm still not sure if that's a blessing or a curse."

"Wow," was all Kayla could say, her face looking awed. Everyone else within listening distance looked shocked too. Neville's mouth was actually open and gaping.

"Well… Harry will make a very illustrious king of the Romanov clan, won't he?" Jonathon finally said, before he looked down at the Portkey, "Everyone grab it quickly!" The others placed a finger on the faintly glowing portkey and a minute later, Harry had that slightly painful jerk to his navel as the surroundings around them disappeared in a flash of blue light.

* * *

Harry landed on the ground, a bit unsteadily, but still on two feet as he bent down to help Damien up. When his face turned back up toward the scenery, Harry had to make himself stop gaping. They had appeared in the middle of a castle courtyard that seemed almost unreal. It was made of white marble everywhere, and Harry could see a majestic spiraling castle rise out above him. Unlike Hogwarts, which always seemed so bulky and massive, this castle was elegant with spires and balconies that shined like glass. Stained crystal glass graced the windows and the sky above it was beautiful azure blue.

The courtyard they were in had flowers on every side, beautiful, luscious blooms in a variety of colors and occasional shades that just seemed too brilliant to be real. A large fountain made of white marble was at the center of the flower combinations, and a marble statue of a tall, stern looking man that vaguely resembled Jonathon was held up against the doorway. Perfectly clipped emerald hedges sparkled under the light and the cobbled pathway was made of picturesque sandstone. It was almost too beautiful to be real.

The oddest thing was though that no one was around.

"These gardens are off limits in the afternoon," Serena explained, "They're the palace's royal gardens. It's beautiful, no?"

"It's amazing," Neville said, sounding appropriately awed as he walked ahead to gently finger a delicate looking golden blossom with orange streaks, "A red sun Saurian! They're supposed to be extinct in the human world!"

"We have many supposedly extinct flowers here," Melinda explained, smiling proudly, "That flower is a special component in a powerful growth potion."

"Do you think I could see these plants sometimes?" Neville asked eagerly, looking up from the flowers to center in on Melinda.

"You'll be here for the next month," Melinda said, smiling, "You're welcome to this garden whenever you like. And I'm sure one of our servants can arrange a tour in the Herbology gardens for you."

"That would be wonderful," Neville beamed and followed the rest as they headed through the empty castle over to an enclosed balcony.

"Will you three wait here, please?" Jonathon asked to Kayla, Neville, and Luna. The three nodded and Jonathan stepped through the enclosed curtain. Melinda followed him; a small smile on her face, Harry just watched puzzled, as Serena grabbed his and Damien's hands and tugged them toward the curtain.

"Follow me," Serena whispered, smiling at them. Harry still looked puzzled but steeped through the curtain and into a balcony overlooking-

-a crowd cheering for the royal family.


	8. The Vampires

Chapter 8: The Vampires

The first thing that assaulted Harry's senses was the noise of at least a thousand people cheering. Slightly dazed, he let his eyes sweep over the crowd to see the glee shining on all of these attractive, pale, nameless faces. When he turned his gaze to Serena he saw her smiling, looking beautiful and regal, while Damien seemed a bit disoriented but genuinely curious as he waved back at the crowd. After a few more minutes of cheering, Jonathon put up his hand and everyone immediately quieted, far quicker than Harry had thought possible.

"I would like to thank you for that warm welcome," Jonathon said warmly, not raising his voice but leaving no doubt that everyone could hear him, "I have more to say but I think everything could wait until after the feast, no?" More cheering greeted his words and Harry looked at the man with more respect. This wasn't his stern but enjoyable father- in- law, this was a majestic king, looking completely at ease before his subjects.

"I'm sorry for dragging you out there," Serena said, apologetically as the small group stepped back through the curtain, "I was afraid that you would try to get out of it if you knew." She seemed worried that he would be unhappy. Harry smiled at her to show that he was okay and she relaxed.

"I probably would have," Harry admitted, following the king and queen, who stayed a respectful distance in front of them with Damien to give the illusion of privacy. With vampire hearing though, Harry was well aware that they were able to keep close tabs on this conversation if they wanted to. "You really care about them, don't you?"

"I do," Serena said, then paused and hesitated before continuing softly, "They're my family, my legacy. One day it will be my duty to lead them and I want to be the best queen I can. You'll be their leader one day too."

"I'm not sure if I want to," Harry replied, "There's so much responsibility involved. So much work-"

"It's not the work, is it?" Serena guessed, "You've always handled a lot more than you should and you're used to it. People look up to you as a leader. You just don't want the prestige that comes with the position." When Harry didn't answer, Serena knew she was right.

"I've lived my whole life being neglected," Harry said, staring at the floor, "Ever since I was a child, I knew I couldn't trust anyone but myself. I couldn't expect others to give me anything. I took what I was given and I was grateful for it. Now though… I have so much. I have a wonderful family, a great home, wealth and power to protect myself and the ones I love. I have you.^That's a big leap from the starved, unloved freak wizard who used to live in the Dursley's cupboard and ate scraps. And I just don't know if I deserve that. Those people out there will fight for me in the war. They'll put themselves in danger for me. I don't deserve that. I'm not that great a person."

Serena listened to this in disbelief, growing more and more angry with each passing sentence that her bond mate uttered. She had known that he had a depressing childhood but to hear how far it went and in such an offhand tone of voice… the members of Number Four Private Drive better have good alarm systems. In fact, she should recruit Damien for this too. Her little prince would be happy to exact revenge on his father's behalf.

She should really give serious thoughts to her parenting skills. Now though, Serena had to pound some sense into her mate's head.

"Don't talk like that! You deserve all of it Harry, and more. I know that these… people," Serena said darkly, as though she would have preferred another word to 'people', "may have convinced you otherwise but it's not true. You have people who love you and would die to protect you. And you should respect that because it's their choice to do so. Did you ask Cedric to enter the Triwizard Tournament? No. Did you ask Sirius to come to the Ministry? No. They chose to do that and Voldemort killed them, notyou. Fight Voldemort and avenge these people Harry. But don't blame yourself for their deaths." Her voice softened as she continued.

"You were born to be great Harry," Serena said, softly, "Even without the prophecy, your life wouldn't be normal. You would be a Scion of an Ancient and Noble House. You would be a warrior of the Light. You would be a Potter and Potters always do what is right for the magical world even with the harm that it would inflict on them. Embrace your heritage Harry. Your ancestors granted you a legacy as great as the ancient gods themselves. Honor them by continuing it. You may not like your fame but you can use it to do great things. People look up to you Harry, they always will. You are the last of the Potter line and if I do say so myself, you are the greatest.

When he didn't reply right away, she looked up, unsure as to whether or not she had gone too far this time.

"You're right," Harry suddenly said, unexpectedly, "I'm being childish about everything. I may never love my fame but it is a part of me and my inheritance. I am the crown prince of the Ramanov clan and I will bring honor to my family. Thank you Serena."

Her smile appeared again, larger than before as they neared the dining hall of the castle. Harry couldn't help but let a gasp of surprise and awe as they walked in. Unlike the rest of the beautiful castle which spoke in tones of subtle beauty and understated elegance, the dining hall was clearly made to impress.

The walls were hung with delicate shards of spun glass pierced together to create a lovely swirling flower petal that formed a stunning rose. The pale gold pink, blossoming ruby and cool blue green shade sparkled until the lighted crystal chandeliers. The floor was a flawless marble with white gold inlay and a long table of what seemed to be one huge piece of white birch stood in the front of the room. Three more tables made of creamy mahogany were in front of the birch one.

With all the beautiful décor, Harry almost didn't have time to see the vampires, and a slightly nervous Neville and Luna, lounging gracefully on the tables. Almost being the key word. He did, however, notice that as Melinda and Jonathon passed, nearly all of the vampires stood and bowed to the royals. Only a handful, all of them wearing clearly expensive clothes, didn't bow but they did incline their heads respectfully as the two passed by.

Under the flickering candlelight their faces looked unearthly, untouchable and unbelievably beautiful but at the same time they looked welcoming, their sharp fangs pressed back against their mouths. They wore what at first sight, could have passed as Muggle clothes but on closer inspection, proved to be made of dark leather and were tight fitting but comfortable looking even from afar.

They all looked at Damien and Harry with interest although it seemed to be general curiosity instead of displeasure and anger. Harry smiled back at them nervously even as Damien, completely unperturbed by the staring, waved at them excitedly. Most of the stares seemed to be directed at Serena's tight grip of his arm and Damien's tell tale honey blonde hair.

The walk up to the table went by relatively quickly though and as soon as they reached the white birch table; Jonathon sat down at the center of the table. Everyone else immediately took a seat, with Serena tugging on Damien's hand so he would sit between his parents. As everyone settled down, Jonathon rose up and held up his hand, effectively cloaking the room in a hush.

"My fellow Ramanovs," Jonathon began, his voice regal yet genuine, "I come home with glad tidings for our clan. You are perhaps wondering at the guests that have come with us and I will now reassure your fears. It is my joy to introduce you to Lord Harry James Potter- Black, our very own crown prince and the mate of Princess Serena!"

The words fell in the air and hung, suspended, for only a minute before almost wild pandemonium rushed through the great room. Harry jumped up, instincts making him push Serena and Damien behind him before he noticed that these weren't roars of anger, the people were happy?As they saw that he was hovering protectively in front of the other two, the approval grew even louder, and Harry looked around only to see vampire clapping and cheering, several of the women wiping tears from their eyes. Finally Jonathon raised his hand again and the crowd silenced.

"I also find myself exceedingly pleased to bring you this second piece of news," Jonathon added, looking proud as he lifted up Damien into the air, "My daughter and her new mate have adopted this child, Damien Alexander Potter- Black, and he is now the latest addition to the Ramanov family!"

The cheers began again, many of the vampires rising up and craning their necks to get a glimpse of the new young prince. Damien, who was peering curiously at the crowd from around Harry's legs, blushed deep red before raising his hand and waving back at them.

"A real little prince, isn't he?" Melinda murmured approvingly from farther down the table before chuckling, "Only showed himself for twenty minutes and he already captured his subject's hearts. Damien will do well."

"Of course he would," Serena said, indignantly, "He's mine and Harry's son."

"That I can believe," Jonathon said, sounding amused, "Waving to a crowd for the first time would take some definite Gryffindor bravery. Why don't you two say something?"

"Should we?" Serena asked quietly, focusing on Harry, "It would be a good idea to do so but I don't want to pressure you to do anything today…"

"No, it is a good idea," Harry insisted, and took in a deep breath, "I'll have to get used to this sooner or later. This time's just as good as any."

Serena's brilliant smile was his only reward but Harry felt it more than justified as the beautiful, young princess stepped up to the dais. The vampires quickly turned their attention away from the blushing Damien and over to her, their faces expressionless. Serena took in a deep breath and began to speak. Harry was mesmerized by the first word; her vice was just so commanding and powerful.

"My people," Serena said, smiling at them, "I have come with good news. No doubt many of you remember my… er, moods," here warm laughter greeted her words, "when I first began to receive visions of my mate. I was horrible, I am the first to admit to that and for that as well, I am sorry. The frustration of being unable to help my Harry," the vampire's faces took on different shades of sympathy, "was making me ill tempered. But now I am proud to introduce my mate, Lord Harry James Potter- Black!"

Suffice to say, great clapping greeted her words as Harry nervously stepped up to the stage.

"Um… hello," Harry said, weakly, waving slightly, "I doubt I can make a speech as eloquent as my mate's was a few minutes ago," nodding and light laughter echoed then, "but I am going to try my best. I would have to take partial fault for the damage Serena's temper inflicted on you. Being… well, who I am, I'm afraid I was being deceived by many I considered my allies and unable to take control of my own life. I don't have to explain my position here, do I?"

Hearty laughter rang out then and several of the younger children shook their heads as Harry grinned sheepishly.

"Yes… well, Dumbledore is… um," Harry began, faltering slightly.

"A downright bastard," a child's sweet high voice rang out of the silent crowd, prompting laughter from the people around the small, black haired girl who'd spoken.

"Exactly," Harry chuckled, nodding to the blushing girl, "Took the word's right out of my mouth. But to be honest, Dumbledore is a monster. I've been manipulated from birth and I'm sick of that. I'm tired to relying on fickle friends and always being unsure as to who my friend is and who my foe is. Thankfully, due to the help of my beautiful mate, Serena and my wonderful son, Damien," here he reached out and grabbed her slender hand, pulling her up to stand next to him with Damien following, "I would never have found my way out of that mess. I think I can reasonably say that I have a better understanding of who is my friend and who is just a downright bastard who wants to use me."

Cheering greeted his words, the vampires looking up to him in a new respect that was previously lacking in their often impassive features. It was then that Jonathon stood up again and clapped his hands, drawing all gazes to him like a magnet.

"Well I think that I for one am very assured by your explanation Harry," Jonathon nodded over to the dark haired teen, "But this is a happy occasion and I don't want it marred by such talk. Come, let us eat! Let us celebrate the joining of Harry and Damien into our family!"

Everyone else seemed to agree and began to fill their plates. Harry sitting down after the speech suddenly noticed the elegant dishes lining the tables and began to fill his own plate. There seemed to be some of everything here, and a whole lot of foods that Harry had never seen before. Some of which looked completely exotic ad several seemed to be drenched with a thick dark liquid that Harry didn't believe was ketchup.

Keeping far away from the dark red dishes, Harry helped himself to a piece of Indian Tandori chicken and mashed potatoes along with something that resembled a piece of French bread covered in sprinkles that smelled delicious.

"This is delicious," Harry said in surprise, as he bit into the tender chicken meat and looked up, "My compliments to he chef."

"I'll make sure they're passed on," Jonathon nodded, sampling the dish himself, "That was a very good speech Harry."

"Thank you," Harry asked, humbled that the prestigious man enjoyed it, "Every word was completely true. I couldn't have done it without Serena and Damien."

"That's good to know," another man chuckled, looking up to meet Harry's gaze as he reached out a hand to shake his hand, "Hello, my name's Sistine Overa and I'm the Magi Master of the Ramanov clan. Serena was my former student and let me tell you, she hated being kept out of anything. You have my blessings Lord Potter- Black. You must be quite brave to marry her."

"I heard that!" Serena exclaimed, sitting across from Harry as she turned and glared good naturedly at Sistine, "You're not allowed to corrupt him until after my second child!"

"Second child?" Damien asked, looking intrigued, "Am I going to have a sister or a brother?"

"Hopefully neither for a little while," Jonathon muttered, holding back a wince as Melinda elbowed him none to gently.

"Well, what would you like?" she asked sweetly, smiling at her favorite, and only, grandchild. Damien notched his head to the side and considered for a while, his adorable little face screwing up in concentration before he came to a decision.

"A boy," Damien announced grandly, wrinkling his nose as he thought of the alternative, "Girls are boring! Who wants them around?"

"He'll be singing a whole new tune in a couple of years," Harry commented dryly, causing everyone to laugh at the confused looking Damien.

"What do you mean?" Damien demanded, and when he saw that he wasn't going to get an answer from his amused father he turned to tug at his mother's hand instead, "What does Daddy mean mum? I can't sing a tune!" This just set off a whole new bout of laughter.

"It's nothing sweetheart," Serena answered, smiling gently as she picked up a bowl of vegetables and began spooning them into Damien's plate, "Now why don't you eat some of that delicious looking broccoli?"

"But I don't want to?" Damien protested, looking to his father for help, "I don't like vegetables, Daddy. Do I have to?"

"Well…" Harry began and then looked at Serena's dark face for a second before quickly saying, "Whatever your mother says Damien. She only wants to look out for your best interests." His sigh of relief was audible as Serena leaned in to kiss his cheek, sending a ripple of amusement through the watching vampires.

"Learns fast, doesn't he?" Neville quipped to coming laughter.

"It's a good thing too," Luna added, a smirk disturbingly alike to Draco's on her face, "If he didn't Serena would kill him before their first anniversary."

"Thank you Luna," Harry scowled playfully, at the amused blond.

"There's someone I want you to meet Harry," Serena said, motioning to a well dressed man a few seats away from them. His face was partially hidden by shadow but there was no doubt that his chiseled, pale features and dark eyes marked him a classical redemption of a vampire. He was wearing dark clothes made of dragon hide that looked strong and durable and the expression on his face was welcoming but guarded.

"Jakarta Devonian," he introduced, raising a hand to shake Harry's in a firm grip. The soft lilt of a Romanian accent accompanied his words and Harry was not surprised to feel strong calluses on his pale hand. He looked dangerous and competent, a definite warrior with wary eyes, a shocking ice blue and a tall, muscled build.

"Harry Potter," he answered, then let a wry smile cross his lips, "Although I suppose you know that already?" The man smiled slightly in return.

"I wouldn't have been much of a guard if I didn't know who the famous Boy- Who- Lived was, would I?" he asked, nodding in welcome to Serena, "Nice speech up there."

"Thanks," Harry replied, "You were a guard here then?"

"To the royal family," Serena explained, "Master Devonian retired a few years ago but he still teaches sword fighting. He'll be one of your instructors here."

"Instructors?" Jakarta asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Yes," Harry said, "I suppose you know about the crazy madman out for my blood? Good, then I need not explain that I need lessons on various subjects to ready me for my clash with He- Who- Must- Not- be- Sane. I was hoping one of them could be sword fighting and I would be honored if you taught me."

"Wait, you've never been taught sword fighting? Hasn't Dumbledore prepared you for the fight with Voldemort?" Jakarta asked letting shock flit across his face as Harry shook his head, "No training at all? Was the man insane? You're going to fight the worst madman in all of Great Britain if not the whole world and he taught you nothing?"

"Er… no?" Harry replied, weakly as Jakarta's eyes narrowed, "That bastard! I can't believe he was willing to sacrifice you to that psycho like a lamb to slaughter!"

"Leader of the Light sacrifices an innocent life?" Harry asked sarcastically before sighing in frustration, "Unfortunately Icanbelieve that. It happened to me one time too many. That's why I want to learn different techniques over the summer. I need to learn sword fighting, advance defense magic, runes, how to become an animagus, Occlumency, Legilimency… the list just goes on and on."

"That would be your best bet now," Jakarta agreed, "I will be happy to teach you. When will we start? Do you have a sword you can use or should we get one made?"

"I would like to begin as soon as possible," Harry answered, "Not just me but Serena and my son, Damien too. And my friends Neville and Luna. The ideal time would be one day after Sirius's will reading. Will that be alright?"

"That should be fine," Jakarta nodded, "And the sword?"

"Harry already has a sword," Neville cut in eagerly as Harry looked up to find the entire table shamelessly eavesdropping on his conversation, "It's Excalibur!"

"Oh, well that's good then as long as it's in fighting order," Jakarta nodded, absentmindedly, sipping his drink before the full force of what Neville just said sunk into his mind.

"What!" Jakarta spluttered, spitting out his drink and coughing uncontrollably, "D-did y-you say Excalibur as in…Excalibur?"

"As in King Arthur's legendary sword?" Neville asked grinning from ear to ear, as he clapped Harry on the back, "Yup! May I introduce you to Harry Potter, the long lost descendant of England's most famous king?"

"Excalibur," Jakarta breathed in awe, ignoring the snickers from the rest of the table at his expense, "I'm going to teach the future wielder of Excalibur. The heir of King Arthur. All descendants of the king are born with natural sword fighting talents and I will unlock that master ability! Can I see the sword?"

"I don't have it with me now," Harry explained, "But I'll be happy to bring it to our first lesson later. Will that be okay?"

"Hmm-hmm," Jakarta murmured a dreamy look still on his face, "I'm going to teach the wielder of Excalibur. Pinch me, I must be dreaming. Ow! I didn't mean that literally!"

"Than why did you ask us to pinch you?" Damien asked, reasonably as he moved his hand away. He blinked his innocent emerald eyes up at the scowling sword master.

"Better keep your sword in the scabbard, Harry," Luna commented, "I think Jakarta just fell in love." More laughter greeted her words.

"Okay, okay, I'm calm," Jakarta laughed, ducking his head. Soon conversation began to move gently toward Damien's use of the sword and better ways to punish the Headmaster and Harry was happy to find his best friends feeling entirely at ease among the fanged royals.

Soon the dinner was over and everyone began to leave in twos and threes, Neville and Luna being escorted away to their respective rooms by a vampire servant who appeared by their side. Melinda reached down to pick up a gently nodding off Damien and the young couple followed the regal woman down the hallway. Harry looked around curiously as Melinda paused by the forked part of the hallway.

"I'll tuck Damien in," she said, smiling fondly down at her young grandson before she looked up at them with a decisively amused smile, "I'm sure you two have things to do."

"Um… mum," Serena protested her face scarlet under the torch lights. Harry was sure his face resembled the same shade of bright red. "Don't say things like that!"

"Sorry sweetie," Melinda said, looking even more entertained, "But as your mother itis my job to embarrass you like this beforehand. However, I can see where I'm not wanted. Have a nice night dears." With a small wink, she quickly turned and disappeared.

Serena quickly took the opposite direction, her head faced down to hide her face but Harry could clearly feel her emotions through their recent bond. She seemed nervous, anticipating and exited all at once. Smiling, he slipped his hand into hers again and squeezed comfortingly to reassure her. She looked up at him, smiling in return although she still seemed nervous.

"We have to physically finalize the bond," Serena explained weakly, "Are you… okay about this?" What she didn't say but Harry heard loud and clear at the end of her sentence was 'are you okay about me?'His voice felt dry and scratchy so he nodded, unsure of the emotions churning in his own stomach. He was exited definitely and scared shitless undoubtedly but he felt sure of what they were going to do.

When they entered the room, Harry looked around curiously. Dark royal blue hangings lined the walls and a four poster dark mahogany bed lay at the center of the room, on top of a plush raven black carpet. He followed her over to the bed and sat down, feeling the cold silken feeling of the satin slide through his fingers.

"Are you ready for this?" Harry whispered, his breath coming out to waft across the silent room. Serena looked scared but nodded resolutely and gave an almost smile.

"I was always ready for you," she answered, smiling at him, her violet eyes alight. Harry looked at her, so beautiful, sp fragile and yet so strong, her golden hair glowing under the moonlight and felt a love so strong for the young princess that for a minute it felt uncontrollable. Slowly, as to give her time to back away, he leaned closer and let his lips ghost against her own rosy ones.

"Is this okay?" Harry asked, quietly, letting the words whisper against her lips.

"It's perfect," Serena whispered back and Harry pressed down, pushing his soft lips against hers. One of them moaned, and suddenly her mouth was open and without hesitation his tongue met hers dancing through. He moaned then, tasting her sweetness against his lips and leaned in until she was pushed against the pillows, his hands finding their way down to her sides. Without any hesitation, they slipped through the soft covering of the shirt and touched her soft flesh, dancing up and up in small, warm circles to her breasts.

"H-Harry," she moaned, against his lips, "D-don't stop!"

With a new urgency, his hands found their way to the clasp on her bra and unhooked it gently, cupping them around his prize. His thumb made small circles against the nipples, and Harry felt a small thrill of desire as Serena's back arched and her breasts hardened instantly. They were incredibly soft and a perfect fit for his hands, allowing him to squeeze one gently as the other hand danced below to the waistline of her pants.

"Do you want me to stop?" Harry asked breathlessly, moving up from the kiss and swallowing a needy groan as her lips moved to attack his throat.

"No," Serena gasped, "Don't stop my Lord. Don't ever stop." He moaned slightly as the lips found a sensitive crevice in his throat, finding it a huge turn on as Serena called him her Lord. The bulge on his pants tightened, feeling painful now as he hurriedly unbuckled her pants.

"You're so beautiful," Harry murmured against her mouth as he slipped the pants off, his voice husky, "So incredibly beautiful. Like a goddess…"

She smiled and threaded her hands through his raven locks, using them to pull his face down to hers, to push her lips against his. Her hands worked around Harry's middle, ripping his new shirt off but finding that she was uncaring as he captured her in another kiss. Her hands splayed against his toned body, feeling the small scars and edges and that dotted his skin, minor imperfections to some perhaps but a testament to her husband's bravery to her.

They both pulled against his pants, until in her annoyance she used her sharp fingers to tear it open and see the hardened dick underneath. He groaned, both in need and in desire as her fingers splayed against his cock, teasing it gently until it was slick with precum. It had swelled to a huge size, both hard and soft and willing as it writhed between her slender palms.

"Now Serena," Harry groaned, "Now!" And with that he pushed in, Serena letting out a gasp of pain and delight as she closed around him, riding him from bottom. The orgasms came a minute later, huge and wonderful and at the highest peak, she brought her mouth up to align against his throat and bit into it, screaming as the pleasure heightened to a whole new being.

Harry gasped too, in the fine line between mindless pleasure and endless pain as her fangs dug into his skin and her mouth began to be filled with his dark red blood. They managed to orgasm one more time before Harry fell exhausted into the other side of the bed, Serena with her mouth stained red cuddling up behind them as they both fell into a dreamless, perfect sleep.


	9. The Will Reading of Sirius Black

Chapter 9: The Will Reading

When Harry woke up in the morning, he considered himself the luckiest guy in the planet. He was healthy and fit with a beautiful young woman in his arms, her soft golden hair splayed out across the pillow like strands of gold caught in the light, and his family was outside in their castle. Of course there was also the fact that he had a megalomaniac out for his blood, a manipulative coot that had a scary obsession with him and he was just about to go to the will reading of his deceased godfather but other than that, life was perfect.

That idea was only reinforced a minute later as Serena began to stir, her lovely violet eyes fluttering open, a sleepy smile on her face.

"Good morning," Harry smiled, shifting so she could rest her head more comfortably against the pillows, "You're finally awake then."

"Nope," Serena muttered, shoving her head into his chest "'m sleepy. Stop talking. You're warm." He laughed, jostling her awake, as Harry got up. Serena just growled and burrowed back under the bed, much to Harry's amusement. It seemed that his little vampire wasn't much of a morning person.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, teasing, "Still too tired from last night? Don't want breakfast?"

"No," Serena mumbled, using one palm to swat at him blindly, "Me sleep. Go away." Harry grinned and followed her orders, stepping into the shower stall in the room for a quick but warm shower and then changed into clothes that the house elves had left out.

They must really want to impress the wizards this afternoon, Harry thought, as he looked over the clothes. Lying against the bed was a pair of dragon skin trousers, a silver belt with a Japanese design on the buckle, a tightly fitting black cotton shirt with an elaborate design of a silver dragon on the cover, and a pair of dark leather knee high boots. Over it, Harry had on a pair of emerald silk wizarding robes made entirely of panels that looked slightly Chinese and had embroidered runes running down the sides.

The clothes Harry and Serena had bought were impressive of course but this took wealth and style to a whole new level. After putting it all on, Harry turned to look at himself in the glass viewing panel and had to admit he liked what he saw. Standing there, looking back at him was a tall, slender, dark haired aristocrat with brilliant emerald green eyes darkened in sorrow and a wry twist of humor on his lush rose lips. He looked handsome. He looked intelligent. He looked impressive. But most of all, he looked powerful.

"The outfit suits you," a voice said quietly from the doorway and Harry turned around quickly to see Melinda standing there, a large tray on her hands.

"Thank you," Harry replied, and walked over to take the tray from her hands, "Did you buy me this?" She nodded, a small smile tucked into her lips.

"We wanted you to make an impression," Melinda explained, and then nodded over to the tray, "And we knew that you didn't want to face the crowds today so I brought over some breakfast. Damien will be joining you shortly and then soon you will take a portkey to Gringotts with your friends, Neville and Luna."

"Thank you," Harry repeated, feeling touched, "You've done so much for me. I'm grateful."

"We're family now," Melinda reminded him, "You don't have to thank me. I see my daughter's still in bed. She never was such a morning person."

"Never got up till twelve?" Harry asked, smiling. Melinda snorted.

"Never got up till two," Melinda informed him, "Three thirty when she could get away with it." Harry threw his had back and laughed, his voice genuinely filled with amusement although half of him felt like sitting down and sobbing.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Melinda said suddenly, and Harry looked up, startled to find her gazing back at him sadly, with an oddly knowing, regretful look on her pale, unlined face, "It's been a long time since I have gone through this myself but a memory so strong will leave a lasting impression whether for good or bad upon your soul."

"Who did you loose?" Harry asked, sharing in her sadness for a moment. She just smiled at him, her face filled with sorrow.

"My sister," she said, and for a minute her voice was filled with such longing that it made Harry almost stagger, "My beloved Isabelle, so young when death touched her beautiful face."

"I'm sorry," Harry finally said, looking up awkwardly from the bed, "It must be difficult to loose one so young, especially a beloved sibling."

"Yes," Melinda answered, smiling faintly, "But I have come to terms with it long ago even if I never did accept it. I know Belle is content where she is now. I know she does not begrudge me my moment of happiness. You too must find solace in your godfather's death. From what I know of him, he loved you more than he loved anyone else; I think he would have you move on with your life. Remember the departed but live your life as your own, Harry."

"I'll remember that," Harry replied, nodding, "I don't think I'm quite ready to let him go now but… I'll try. For Sirius's sake, I'll try."

"Then that is all I can ask from you," Melinda said, and stepped out the door as new visitors came in. First was Damien, his usually exuberant face quiet and thoughtful as he stepped through the door way, his emerald eyes quickly scanning the room for his parents. Behind him was Neville, looking somber and Luna, who had not known Sirius personally but staying respectful for the man's heroic death nonetheless.

"Daddy," Damien exclaimed, quickly making a beeline for his father. Harry's arms wrapped around his slender form and he smiled down sadly at his small son. Damien's bright eyes, so quick and clever, looked up at him with seriousness so unexpected in the eyes of one so young that Harry's arms tightened protectively.

"It's okay daddy," Damien said softly, "Uncle Sirius is happy now with Grandpa James and Grandma Lilly. He loved you but now he's finally free. He's probably playing pranks on God."

A small smile tugged at the edge of Harry's lips at his sons words, filled with a kind of pure confidence only the truly young and innocent can express.

"You're right Damien," Harry answered, smiling down at him, "I'm lucky to have such a smart son with me today. I just wish Sirius was here to see you. You would have made him proud, I'm sure of it." Damien's smile was his favorite reward, the crooked bright grin stretching across his face as his son settled into his lap.

"Uncle Sirius will see me from heaven," Damien confided him, "And Uncle James and he will cheer when I prank the manipulating old coot!"

"Damien," Serena's voice sounded, her tone warning from under the bedspread, "Who were you just insulting?"

"Headmaster Dumbledore mummy," came Damien's innocent answer, his handsome face totally straight. Serena pulled herself out of the bedspread, her thick golden curls falling around to frame her pale face.

"Oh," she blinked at the harsh light, "That's okay, then."

"Good morning Ser," Harry said, smiling down on the face of his young wife, "Had a good sleep?" She smiled back at him and crawled out of bed.

"Yes, although what we did before was much more enjoyable," Serena smirked at him, "Even if it did leave my bum sore afterwards."

"Really?" Harry asked, smirking back, "Sure you're not ready for round two?"

"What did you guys do?" another voice piped up and both parents looked down, shocked to find their son sitting in the middle of the bedspread with his entire attention span focused on them, "What did you do mum? Why didn't you invite me? I had to go to bed! It was boring!"

"Yes Harry," Neville added and Harry looked up to find his Gryffindor friend leaning against the wall post, a smirk eerily similar to Draco Malfoy's on his face, "What exactly did you do?"

"Well…er…" Serena stuttered and Harry saw that her face was flushed crimson, "About that… you see…" Luna sighed and finally cut in.

"They were playing board games Damien," Luna lied, stepping up to the bed, "Honestly between you three, poor Damien will be corrupted before his next birthday!"

"Well why didn't you call me?" Damien asked crossly, "Iwould have liked playing board games." Neville snorted but at a warning look from Luna, the Longbottom heir wisely kept his mouth shut as his girlfriend hastened to explain.

"Oh no, you wouldn't," Luna disagreed, "They're sleep worthy Damien. That's why they're called board games because they bore you to death."

"Okay," Damien answered doubtfully, before pointing at Harry's tray, "Daddy, can I have your toast?" Harry just pushed his plate over to the curious boy, grateful that his son wasn't asking any questions. The last thing he would have wanted would be to give "the talk."

The rest of the meal passed in relative silence with even Damien staying quiet throughout breakfast. Soon Harry was just resting at Serena's adjoining sitting room, admiring the beautiful light cedar walls that seemed charmed to make its wood blend and merge under the white sunlight and the candle fixtures hanging up on the ceiling while his wife got ready.

"We should go now," Neville said quietly and Harry looked up to see that Serena and Luna had joined them, both wearing silken robes in rich colors over expensive Muggle clothes. Damien stood next to Serena, wearing a red t-shirt with an elaborate Japanese tidal wave design on it and dark washed jeans. A small leather coat was over the t-shirt but it was open and small boots were on his feet. He looked like any normal Muggle kid, albeit one wearing designer clothes and chatting gaily with a poisonous snake.

"Delia has to stay here, sweetheart," Serena said gently, "You'll see him in the evening okay?"

"Why not?" Damien complained, but obediently put his familiar down, "Delia will be lonely."

"I know, but wizards don't like snakes," Serena explained, "She'll see you soon though."

"They're weird," Damien mumbled, "Daddy likes snakes and he's a wizard."

"Daddy can speak to snakes," Serena reminded him, "Not all people can do that and that's why they'll be scared. Delia is a big snake after all."

"Fine," Damien muttered, pouting before he crouched down to say goodbye to his familiar in Parsletongue. Luna watched the exchange with interest but Neville just took out a pale green notebook from the desk drawer and held it up to the light.

"We're leaving guys," Neville announced and several hands were quickly placed on the softly glowing object. Harry felt the familiar pull on his skull before everything disappeared, in a wave of dazzling blue light. His legs fell unsteadily on the floor of Griphook's office and Harry looked up to find the goblin sitting on his repaired desk, waiting for them.

"My Lord," Griphook exclaimed, jumping off the chair, "It's good that you've arrived now. You're half an hour early and we need to get you settled in before the old meddling coot arrives with his entourage. Mr. Draco and Miss Narcissa are here by the way, should I let them in?"

"Yes, that would be best," Serena answered for him, addressing the goblin for a minute before stepping up to her mate when she felt waves of sorrow pour in from their bond, "We'll sit in the corner Griphook. Make sure to start the will reading quickly."

"Got it," Griphook nodded and the small group made its way to the audience chamber, sitting immediately at the back of the row. Harry sat in the center with Serena and Luna at his immediate right and Damien and Neville at his left. Narcissa and Draco both came in, and the latter gave a small nod to Serena before sitting with his mother in the middle row, not to close to arouse suspicion but close enough that he could come to their aid if a fight broke out.

Soon the room began to fill up, people trickling in with twos and threes and shooting covert looks at the back of the room. Harry was so deep in mourning that he didn't realize it but they made a striking view. The tall, dark haired teen mourning with a young, slender woman at one side and a small, blonde haired boy on the other. A brown haired man was bringing up the side with the lithe form of a pale Seer on the other side. Each of the people were wearing expensive Muggle clothes with robes over everyone but the youngest boy, which oddly enough made an interesting combination.

Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Ginny and Hermione were the first to come in, Hermione and Ron just sitting in the front row, completely oblivious as to who might be in the back. If Harry had been using Legilimency then he would have heard that Hermione was quietly fantasizing over all the books Sirius must be giving to her, the Black Library all hers at last! Ron was just thinking about the money that would be his, how for once he would have just as much money as that upstart Potter! And as soon as the stupid hero died at the Dark Lord's hand, he would get all that money too and buy the entire Chudley Cannons team!

Mrs. Weasley on the other hand was staring around the room until her eyes rested on a tall, dark haired form that for the life of her, she couldn't believe to be Harry Potter. The small, malnourished, beaten boy had turned into… that? It made no sense but then again, now her Ginny would have the hottest hero in Britain. She considered walking up to him and berating him for disappearing over the summer but… if that was what he ended up with than maybe she should be quiet. He would be Ginny's one day soon after all although looking at those muscles again… maybe she should reconsider… Arthur was getting a bit boring for her…

Ginny also caught sight of the handsome young aristocrat but failed to make the connection with the scrawny boy she would one day have to marry. Until then though she was free to date, she reminded herself happily, almost drooling at the sight of the brooding young man. Maybe he was a distant relative of Sirius's, she thought. She was just about to get up and introduce herself when she caught sight of the beautiful blond woman sitting next to him, holding his hand between her two slender palms. She blinked before sitting down next to her mother disappointedly. Oh well, maybe not now but when the blond bitch left, she would be sure to offer the guy a shoulder to cry on.

Severus Snape was the next to come in, his sullen form going straight to the corner of the room to sit, surrounded by shadows. He discreetly caught Draco Malfoy's eye and received a small smile of reassurance in return. His quick eyes flit across the room coming to rest on Harry much like everyone else. For a minute, Severus seriously considered if he was going blind. There was no way that the aristocrat sitting there would resemble Potter in the least. But why else would the Longbottom brat and the Lovegood girl sit around them protectively? But what really caught his attention was the little blonde midget sitting at the tall teen's side. Or to be more precise, the eerily similar emerald green hue of the boy's wide eyes. He shivered, remembering those eyes on a wholly different face, and averted his eyes. Potter had a whole lot of explaining to do.

Remus Lupin stepped into the room, its eighth visitor. Harry's former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher looked horrible, his golden eyes dull, his face more aged than ever, and an almost perceptible cloud of misery hanging around his threadbare robes. If anything, this death seemed to have aged Remus more than ever and due to the full moon just a week ago; his hair was spotted with more gray than brown. Suddenly the man looked up, smelling the scent of his cub through his misery. His eyes quickly went to the back, where Harry was sitting and then flitted to the beautiful young woman who had his cub's scent hanging over her and the small boy on his side. Harry as though sensing his godfather staring at him, looked up also and caught Remus's questioning eye, shaking his head to signal an explanation later and giving him a sad smile as both men remembered the laughing form of one Sirius Black.

Next were three people that consisted of Andromeda Tonks, Ted Tonks and although she hated to go by the first name, Nymphadora Tonks. Said girl looked sympathetically at Harry, her usual bubble gum pink hair, long and a dark brown now before she turned and sat next to Remus, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. Harry watched this with a bit of hope. Maybe Remus would open up to her now; he really hoped so, his godfather needed someone happy in her life.

The Weasley twins came in next, Fred (or maybe it was George) nodding to him before slipping in next to Remus. Harry nodded, relaxing at the image of the twins, who at the very least would back him up in a fight.

The last person to come in was Dumbledore, waltzing in with his silken robes of resplendent shiny gold and gaudy purple, completely opposite from Serena's beautiful light violet eyes. When the old man came in, Serena tensed slightly, seeing the man who caused her mate such misery throughout his life. Harry squeezed her hand reassuringly as Dumbledore suddenly caught sight of them. With narrowed eyes, the surprisingly agile man was just about to storm up and demand to know what they were doing when Griphook began to speak.

"Hmm," Griphook cleared his throat, catching the attention of everyone sitting in the room, "We will now proceed with the will reading of the late Lord Sirius Orion Black, as all the benefactors have arrived. Will you please take your seat Headmaster Dumbledore?"

"Actually," the old man said, smiling jovially at the unimpressed goblin, "I'm afraid one of the benefactors should not be here. A certain Harry Potter who is underage. I will be handling his inheritance as his proxy."

"You have no right to do that," Harry spoke up, his voice cold, "This is the will reading of my godfather. I will be here." The old man blinked, clearly not used to opposition from his best weapon. He had no idea just how lucky he was. If Harry hadn't spoke up then, Serena would have. And slit his throat while she was at it.

"Now, now my boy, as your magical guardian I must insist," the old man began, his voice gentle but firm, before Griphook interrupted.

"Lord Potter has every right to be here," the goblin said, his voice sharp, "As the Lord of an Ancient and Noble House, he can go anywhere he pleases and the underage rule does not apply to him. More importantly, as he's emancipated, you currently have no standing over him as his magical guardian. Will you please take your seat Headmaster?"

This seemed to lead to mixed reactions among the crowd which was shamelessly eavesdropping on the conversation. Ron seemed to go red in fury while Hermione smiled at what the implications of this sudden power change might mean for her. Mrs. Weasley looked excited, a greedy glint in her eyes as she contemplated how big the Potter fortune might really be. Ginny looked equally excited although for a completely different reason as she stared hungrily at the newest Lord Potter and debated what brand new silk gowns she might order as his Lady Potter.

Remus and Narcissa wore almost identical looks of shock although both were tempered by pride and Snape although well and truly shaken, managed to hide it under a look of contempt. Andromeda and Ted Tonks looked politely interested while Tonks, Fred and George were grinning. The others though, just decided to hide their smirks and Luna was beyond caring.

"Harry isn't allowed to take his Lordship until he was seventeen," Dumbledore snapped, the kind tone dropped suddenly; "I demand that he be stripped of his Lordship immediately! And I made a special request that Goreripper is to handle this transaction for the late Lord Black."

"Yes, well," Griphook began his voice icy as he made a mental note to visit this Goreripper, "Lord Black has made it part of his last will that I should handle this reading. And you have no right to demand that Lord Potter be stripped of his inheritance. Only if he is found incompetent by a ninety percent majority by the Wizegamot, will he be rid of his Lordship. As such, will you please sit down Mr. Dumbledore before I am forced to call assistance?"

Dumbledore looking around and seeing that he had attracted quite an interested audience decided that it would be in his best interests to sit down immediately. Goblins could be quite forceful when they found that someone tried to disregard the last wishes of one of their favorite customers and he had no desire to be pulled out of the bank with a sword tip at his throat. As soon as he sat down, Griphook started the pensive.

Harry felt his breath catch as he saw Sirius's form rise up from the liquid smoke, the light illumination through him making him look like a shadow of an angel although from what Harry had heard about his godfather's very colorful life, angel was the last word many people would use to describe him. Wicked spawn of hell seemed more accurate really. But when the ghost Sirius opened his mouth and spoke, the voice coming out, clear and open and familiar, Harry almost lost it. If it wasn't for Serena's hand holding his firmly, he was sure he wouldn't have been able to handle it.

"Hey people!"The shadow Sirius began, a shade of his former maniacal grin on his face, "I'm sure all of you know that I've basically snuffed it. Well before I pass to the afterworld, I decided to bug you one more time. So I Lord Sirius Orion Black, being of brilliant mind and god like body (not funny Remus! Stop laughing) hereby declare this as my last will. (Yes Moony, I'm SERIOUS!) All former documents will now be considered null and void."

Harry turned to see how Remus was faring. A small grin was on the man's face even though tears were rushing down from his red eyes and he held Tonks hand as though it was the only thing keeping him from falling apart right now.

"So let's get top what you were really here for, shall we? My stuff. First of all, I'd like to give five million galleons and one of the Black estates of his choosing to my fellow Marauder Remus Lupin. Look mate, I'm dead so don't you dare try to refuse the money! And if I were you, I'd go with the estate on Northern Italy. You're like a brother to me and what's mine is yours and vice versa. Now go and buy some new robes you fur ball! And seriously mate, there's a chick out there that's crazy for you. Give her a chance, will you? Believe me, you only get one chance in true love and this is yours. Don't screw it or Iwill come back and haunt you. And take care of our cub Remus; he's been through a lot and you're the closest thing he has to a father now."

Remus looked up and nodded, Tonks smiling on the other side of him as the ghost Sirius continued, a cheerful grin on its pale face.

"I would also like to use another five million galleons to found the Remus Lupin Foundation to help newly bitten werewolves ready for society and to create new jobs for werewolves of any age, race, or culture. This is for you my friend. I swear that no other child will have to suffer the way you did, ever again. I also want Remus Lupin to be the chairperson of the board if he accepts. If he does not than a suitable replacement is to be found by Gringotts."

Remus looked awed by this new asset and nodded fervently, drying his eyes with his palm. Griphook scribbled a note on a piece of paper and then continued the reading. Harry was happy for his godfather, maybe now he could feel more useful and the work might get him to stop focusing on Sirius's death.

"Next on the agenda are my beloved cousin Andromeda and her daughter Nymphadora Tonks (HA, you can't yell at me now Tonks). Both of you will be accepted into the Black family at once. Your no longer banished Andy and will receive a generous stipend of fifty thousand galleons a month as well as an extra one hundred thousand as an apology from the family of Black for unfairly exiling you. Tonks will receive an equal amount as well as fifty thousand for her dowry to whomever she might choose to wed. (Although I've got a pretty good idea who that might be cough *Moony* cough)"

"Along with that, Ted Tonks will be officially realized as a family relative of the Blacks and gain a stipend of twenty five thousand pounds a month. This is considered an allowance by the Black family Ted, and it's considered rude to refuse. Besides my mum would get a heart attack when she learns that the late Lord Black gave Black money to a Muggle!"

Andromeda (Andy) Tonks looked shocked and pleased at once, happy tears running down her face. Her husband comforted her, knowing how much this had meant to his wife, although he too looked a bit surprised and their daughter had a huge grin on her face as she hugged a surprised, and not entirely unpleased, Remus Lupin. Harry was happy for them. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to be exiled from what used to be your entire life and he hoped Andromeda was joyful.

"Now as for my next bequest, I want to give a stipend of fifty thousand galleons a month to my cousin Narcissa Black and her son Draco providing that they renounce the Malfoy name and take a vow to swear that they will never follow the drama queen known as Lord Voldie and support the latest Lord Black. Adding to that, Narcissa will also have her full Black dowry returned to her and a Black estate of her choice to live in for the remainder of her life. You were once my favorite cousin Cissa, and utterly loyal to the Black family. I only hope that you feel even half that amount of loyalty to the new Lord Black."

"As for you Draco, I haven't gotten to know you long but I know you're an intelligent boy and that you know what following Voldemort will bring. He's a psychopath Draco; following in your father's footsteps will only bring you misery and a very possible death. You are a Black through your mother's side and I am willing to accept you into the family provided you accept the requirements above. You don't have to help the new Lord Black but you can't go against him, Draco so please make your choice wisely. Will these requirements be met?"

"Hell, yes!," an exuberant Narcissa shouted, momentarily forgetting her pureblood breeding at the face of such joyous news. But really who wouldn't cheer when they learned that they could leave Lucius Malfoy? A minute later though the beautiful blond realized that everyone was staring at her, and sat down gracefully as though the last ten seconds had never happened.

Her sister Andromeda sent her a grin. She knew more that most what Lucius was like. She was fated to marry him after all before she decided it would be far more prudent to run away. Although Narcissa was envious of her cousin's happiness and angry over how it led to her unwanted marriage, she could find no fault on Andy. After all, wouldn't she have run if she had the courage to? No, this wasn't her cousin's fault although Lucius still wasn't off the hook.

"I, Narcissa Evangeline Malfoy nee Black, swear on my life and magic to sever any ties to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy, to never follow the Dark Lord Voldemort also known as Tom Marvalo Riddle and hereby swear my loyalty to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black and its Lord," Narcissa said calmly, her wand shining brightly as her oath was sworn.

Draco stood up next and brought up his wand saying, "I, Draconis Black Malfoy, swear on my life and magic to sever any ties to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy, to never follow the Dark Lord Voldemort also known as Tom Marvalo Riddle and hereby swear my loyalty to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black and its Lord."

The wand shined brightly, acknowledging the oath. The people in this room who would swear on their lives that Draco Malfoy- now Draco Black- would become a Death Eater, and there were quite a few people who believed that, looked stunned as Draco calmly sat down, placing his wand in his pocket as though he didn't just shock the room to silence. Dumbledore was beaming, no doubt expecting a new recruit for the Light side while Ron and Ginny gaped at the atrocity that the Death Eater spawn of Lucius Malfoy would end up getting so much money from Sirius Black of all people!

Okay, now next on my list of things to do before this will reading closes. Ah, let's see. Bellatrix Lestrage nee Black is hereby banished from the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black for following a known enemy of the House of Black, killing its current Lord, endangering the heir, etc. She will now be stripped of her dowry and her monthly stipend as well as cursed as a blood traitor to her House. May no Black give her assistance nor refuge and may she wander forever as a nameless curse to the Wizarding World. Now on a lighter note, I would just personally like to say, go to hell bitch!

Let's see, what's next? Oh yeah, I want to dissolve the illegal marriage contract between my godson and heir, a certain Lord Harry Potter and Ginerva Weasley on the basis that there's no way in hell that my godson could date a girl who looks like his mother. Harry will marry a girl that he chooses to for love, not because of a forced arranged marriage.

There were squawks of outrage across the room as this was heard. Mrs. Weasley was furious that the marriage contract for her precious daughter was destroyed while Ginny was indignant on the fact that Harry wouldn't love her. Ron was seething with anger at the mistaken idea that the arrogant Boy-Who-Lived just blew off his sister while Hermione was considering the advantages of dating the Chosen One herself. Dumbledore looked furious at the idea that one of his manipulations were suddenly turned around while Severus just looked confused.

On the other hand, Andy and Cissa looked equally furious at the arranged marriage idea while Tonks looked shocked. Remus was just as annoyed at the idea that his godson would be forced to marry someone he didn't love while Draco looked coolly amused as he watched the Weasley's reaction. Fred and George looked understanding and one even sent Harry a thumb's up for getting out of the marriage. Neville, Luna, and Damien looked angry on behalf of their friend and father respectively while Serena was using all her energy not to go claw Ginny's eyes out. Harry was just relieved Sirius had dissolved the marriage for him, while he tried to restrain his mate from attacking.

"You know," Serena said thoughtfully, not stopping the glare she was shooting at a certain redhead, "I like the way your godfather thinks."

"So do I, love," Harry agreed, placing his hand around hers like cuffs and pulling her over to sit on his lap, "But let's kill Ginny later, okay? I don't want Griphook to blame me for the blood on the floor, especially after he was so helpful to us."

"Fine," Serena replied, glumly as she rested against Harry's chest and watched the others around her with a sort of detached interest.

"This can't be allowed," Mrs. Weasley, typically, was the first to object, "Sirius has no right to do that! He's not Harry's father and…"

"Technically," Griphook interrupted, calmly, "You had no right to create a marriage contract as the boy hadn't given his assent. It's illegal and the fine is tremendous."

"F-fine," Mrs. Weasley whispered, paling considerably as Griphook nodded.

"Unless Lord Potter forgives this transaction, a minimum fine of fifteen thousand galleons is required and as he is also the heir of Sirius Black, a thirty thousand fine is needed," Griphook explained, secretly laughing like a maniac inside.

"Well, then," Mrs. Weasley said, smiling, confident in the raven haired teen's forgiveness, "There's nothing wrong then." Griphook just looked at her in distaste before talking.

"We have to continue the rest of the will reading," Griphook said, managing to sound haughty and polite at the same time, "Please sit down and be quite or I will have to have you thrown out." Everyone quickly sat as Griphook motioned for the shadow to go.

Well now that I finished with that little piece of news; let's move on, shall we? Now, I want to give ten thousand galleons each to Fred and George Weasley, also known as Gred and Forge, along with the official Marauder prank book. You two have stood by Harry for a long time guys, and you have no idea how much that truly means to me. As of now, you two are considered honorary Marauders. Take care of Harry, guys.

"Always," one of the twins said, although he looked shocked by the honorary Maruader title and the money.

"Harry's practically," the other began.

"-Our brother-"

"-Of course we'll-"

"-Take care of him."

"Thanks for-"

"-everything Sirius." Both of the twins nodded, their eyes slightly moist as they finished. Ron stared at them in envy for the money they'd just gotten. He was placated though buy the fact that as Harry's best friend he would get a much bigger share of the money.

"I also want to thank my godson's true friends, who've stood by him through thick and thin and who've helped Harry in every possible way."

Both Ron and Ginny sat up a little straighter, a greedy glint in their eyes.

"I want to thank Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood for-"

"What the hell!" Ron shouted, interrupting Sirius's talk. The redhead didn't care though; he was furious. He had put so much effort into the blasted boy that it was he,Ron Weasley, best friend to the boy who lived, who deserved the recognition, not crybaby Longbottom and loony Lovegood. Ginny secretly agreed with him but had enough presence of mind to sit down and keep her mouth shut. Her boyfriend sadly lacked such control.

"We were forced to go with Harry to every one of his suicidal adventures," Ron shouted, drawing the attention the entire room as Hermione desperately tried to pull her boyfriend down, "He's a completely whiny brat who thinks he can do everything, thinks he can face the Dark Lord… But we acted like the good little friends we were supposed to be and went with him! Why do Lovegood and Longbottom get to reap the rewards?"

"I'm impressed Weasley," Draco was the first to speak, his voice cold, "You've just shown whole new levels of stupidity. I didn't even think it was possible."

"Is that what you really think?" Harry spoke up, his voice sad. He expected to feel angry but instead all he felt was sadness. He had long known Ron was never truly his friend, but he had hoped that the redhead could have changed. It seemed that Ron was too pigheaded though and their friendship never existed.

Damien, on the other hand, had no trouble feeling angry.

"I hate you," the small boy spoke up, the words seeming unfamiliar in his childish voice, drawing attention to him for the first time. Gasps rang out the room as everyone was able to focus on his eyes. A shocking iris of pure emerald, full of cold fire that made several of the people, veterans of the former war no less, shudder.

"And who are you supposed to be?" Ron snarled, not understanding what those emerald eyes might mean.

"I'm Damien Potter- Black," the young boy answered clearly as gasps rang out the room (really you'd think the eyes would have given it away by now), "And I hate people like you. You're a leech, feeding off my father's fame and power with no shame. You and your girlfriend are like that bastard Wormtail, only worse because while Wormtail does things out of fear, you do it out of greed and you regret nothing. You two are the true monsters here." "

"I- I- excuse me," Ginny stuttered, indignant over being compared to the fat Death Eater traitor, "I'll have you know that we are nothing at all like Peter Pettigrew! He's the monster! He betrayed his best friends to the Dark Lord!"

"And you didn't betray my father?" Damien asked, giving an impressive pureblood sneer, "You seem to have been misinformed about quite a few things Ms. Weasley. Allow me to correct that for you. Just because a man enjoys Muggle sweets and dresses like a demented Santa does not mean he's the second coming of Merlin."

"When did Harry have a son?" Ginny demanded, looking furious, "Who's your mother?"

"I sincerely doubt my parentage is of any business to you," Damien relied, looking every bit the powerful Pureblood scion he was, "Is it a common Pureblood practice to demand proof of one's heritage? How barbaric."

Harry who had just been watching this quietly with a look of pride in his face couldn't help but think that his son would make a formidable politician one day.

Ginny would most likely have continued arguing but Griphook chose that moment to quite happily speak up, "I'm afraid that while this conversation is very enlightening, this is a will reading for the dearly departed Lord Black not a free for all. If you continue to cause disruptions I am afraid that I will have to forcibly pull you out." The grin accompanying those words could not by any stretch of imagination be described as reassuring.

Dumbledore shot a glare at the two youngest Weasleys, making Ginny and Ron sit down as Griphook gestured for the pensive memory to continue.

"As I was saying, I want to thank Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood for being true and firm friends with my godson. Harry needed loyal allies like you two and I couldn't be happier that the people he chose to be by his side were as faithful as you two. Unlike some people,if it was possible for a memory to glare, Harry was sure Ron and Hermione were getting one now, you proved to b genuine friends who liked Harry for being Harry not the boy- who- lived."

"Neville, I wasn't best mates with your father but we were friends and I know that the House of Longbottom and the House of Potter have always been erstwhile allies. I hope that alliance continues to this generation. And I have a feeling that the latest Lady Longbottom- propose you idiot! You won't find a girl like that every century- will continue to be firm friends with Lord and- whoever is lucky enough- Lady Potter. For that, I want to give you both one million galleons each."

When Sirius finished, Harry noticed that Ron was fuming although even the redhead had the presence of mind not to start shouting now. Neville nodded, his dark brown eyes looking moist as he cleared his throat to speak.

"We didn't need the money Sirius," Neville said, his voice thick, "Harry's one of my best friends. We'll take care of him." Luna didn't speak at first. Instead the small blond took out her wand and with a clear voice she began to speak.

"I, Luna Lovegood, swear on my life and magic to always be friends with one Harry James Potter and stand by his side through life's trials. Through dark and light, day and night, joy and pain or sun and rain, he'll have me as his confident if he so wishes."

Her wand tip glowed deeply, signifying the power in her vow and shocking everyone in the room, including Harry. He couldn't quite process what the girl had just done before Neville also jumped up to his feet, and with a determined look in his eyes, repeated the vow.

"I, Neville Longbottom, swear on my life and magic to always be friends with one Harry James Potter and stand by his side through life's trials. Through dark and light, day and night, joy and pain or sun and rain, he'll have me as his confident if he so wishes," Neville completed, his wands tip also glowing deeply.

Dumbledore watched in shock as his disobedient student suddenly gained two very powerful, although he was yet to know it, allies. He knew the strength of such a vow, the loyalty and determination in which accompanies it and suddenly felt dread churn his stomach. The Longbottom's were a powerful family both financially and politically. And while the Longbottom boy would never have the guts to maneuver the political field, his grandmother was a force to be reckoned with.

The girl too was worrisome. He had never been able to use Legilimency on her, so he couldn't properly gauge her power level but she had gotten into Ravenclaw so she must have been intelligent. It was also rumored that the girl's mother came from a family of Druids. If she ever inherited the Seer blood, it would prove to be trouble. He did not like the idea of Harry Potter having total access to prophetic power from his very own Seer.

Sirius went on. "Next, I want to recognize Harry's friend-"

Ron sat up again. This could be him! He'd finally get the recognition he deserved!

"Hermione Granger-"

"WHY DOES HERMIONE GET SOMETHING BUT I DON'T?", shouted Ron. Dumbledore shot him another glare, and he sat down so fast you could hear his butt hitting the chair.

"-who has stood by Harry through hardships and toils. Hermione, you may want to stay for a while after this reading-"

"I'm afraid I can't allow-," Dumbledore started to say at the same time as Hermione quickly said

"I accept," thinking that she would get the Black Family Library.

"But-"

"But what, Professor? Gringotts isn't safe?," Hermione asked.

"Very well. But I insist on waiting for you in the lobby so I may escort you back!"

They continued. "-for a private bequest that you will want a lot. That's all for you."

And last but not least,Sirius began the cheerful smile on his face slipping away until he truly resembled his namesake; "Lastly, I leave all other Black family bequests, shares, funds, and property to my beloved godson. Harry if you're watching this now than I hope you know that I blame you for nothing. I loved you and you were my world. If I died trying to save you than I know I can't die for a worthier cause. If I died in bed surrounded my half a dozen gorgeous naked ladies… well, that's okay too."

"Remember pup, none of this was ever your fault. Grow up, get an education, have fun with your friends and marry a girl who deserves you. My only regret is that I couldn't live long enough to meet that special someone. Take care of Moony pup; don't let him screw it. This is Sirius Black, signing out."

As the shadow Sirius's voice dwindled to a close, the ethereal mist disappeared and Harry found himself trying to choke back tears once again. He would have liked a little longer to mourn his godfather's loss but the other benefactors were standing up and rushing toward him, an angry Dumbledore at their lead. Harry sighed, making Serena look over at him worriedly. He gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"I never get a break, do I?" Harry whispered.


	10. The Potter Corporation

Chapter 10: Potter Corporation

Happily for Harry that day, he was wrong. The Headmaster (and his entourage) was definitely making a beeline for him. But what he (and they) had not expected were Griphook and a battalion of armed goblins stepping in front of them.

"Lord Potter-Black will not be taking any requests today," the goblin said firmly. While under normal circumstances Dumbledore would not be at all intimidated by a magical creature only half his height, he did have the presence of mind to back off from a miniature goblin army armed to the teeth, in some cases quite literally, with weapons.

Dumbledore didn't want to cause a scene, after all what would all these witnesses think of the famed benevolent Leader of the light yelling at the Boy-Who-Lived? And while most were easily disposable, a few would cause certain…complications. Nymphadora alone would cause piles of paperwork and a hell of a lot of memory charms. So he tried his grandfather charm.

"Harry, my boy," Dumbledore exclaimed, smiling jovially despite the sharp swords pointed his way, "Is this really necessary? I would just like to talk to you. After this dreadful business with Sirius I'm sure you're quite disturbed-"

"Oh, stuff it Headmaster," Serena snarled, making the honorary title sound suddenly dirty, "Have you not heard the goblin? Lord Potter-Black is not receiving any company now."

"Certainly his school master could hardly be described as company?" Dumbledore tried again, looking for all pictures the kind, wise old Headmaster.

"No Dumbledore," Harry said, his voice icy, "I don't want to see you now. If you wish to speak to me, you may do so at Hogwarts. Until then I wish you a good day and request that you leave. Immediately."

"Harry," Dumbledore sighed, looking disappointed, "Truly my boy, I have no idea what has come over you. As your Headmaster, I insist that you come with me."

"Unfortunately for you," Griphook cut in, "You only have jurisdiction over him at Hogwarts as his professor. Outside of school, Lord Potter- Black is allowed to do whatever he wishes."

"Well surely you plan on coming to the Burrow later?" Dumbledore asked kindly, his bright blue eyes twinkling like mad, "Surely you could come out with Hermione and I can Apparate you both there?"

"So you can use Legilimency on me when we get there," Harry drawled, sounding every bit a haughty Pureblood Lord, "No thank you Headmaster. I plan on spending the rest of my summer vacation with my wife and son in any of my family homes."

"Wife?" Molly Weasley suddenly screeched, making all attention revert to her, "What do you mean wife? You're supposed to marry Ginny!"

"You mean under the illegal marriage contract?" Neville asked, loftily. The Weasley matron blushed as bright a red as her hair but refused to back down.

"It would have been a perfectly good marriage," she said, harshly, "Surely you must be wrong Harry. After all Ginny and you would make a lovely couple…"

"Probably by a love potion," Luna snickered, "Trust me, you old hag, your daughter isn't going to lay a finger on the Potter or Black fortunes. Deal with it."

"But then who's your wife?" Ginny demanded as her mum spluttered.

"I am," Serena said, clearly stepping out as all eyes were drawn to her, "He's my husband."

"Yours?" Ginny asked, sneering, "You don't even look like a Pureblood-"

"I assure you," Harry interrupted, "That my wife has blood ten times as pure as yours."

"And another bonus is that she's not a jealous, love potion using brat," Damien piped up, cheekily making his uncles suppress grins.

"And you're their little hell spawn?" Ginny said, nastily as she glared down at him.

"Don't talk to my son like that," Harry said his voice dangerously quiet. The red haired witch looked up, clearly realizing her mistake before she changed tactics.

"Harry," she whined, "Don't you want us to marry? This girl's standing in the way of our happiness. If you want a family, I can give you one. I can give a dozen sons if that's what the Potter family needs."

"I already have a son," Harry snarled, glaring at the small girl. She cowered a bit before recovering and giving him a pout.

"Well why not have him be our son?" she asked, batting her eyelashes, "I would love to have… err Damien as a son."

"I," Damien spoke up, "Would rather die a thousand terrible deaths than call you my mother."

"Well the boy has spoken," Neville said with a smile, "I suppose we're done here."

"Actually," Griphook added, smiling his rather unsettling shark grin. One that promised a lot of pain. "There's still the matter of the payment Mrs. Weasley must pay."

"Oh, the payment," Mrs. Weasley said, looking nervous, "That's hardly a matter to concern Harry with right after Sirius's will reading! Let's just let it go-"

"What payment?" Luna asked, looking interested, "There's a fee for making illegal marriage contracts? How much does she have to pay?"

"Well, none at all really," Mrs. Weasley blustered, paling considerably, "If I know Harry and I'm proud to say that I know him as well as my own sons, then this little matter doesn't mean anything at all really. After all it was just a dreadful mistake-"

"It wasn't a mistake," Harry said quietly, his emerald eyes merciless, "And you don't know me half as well as you thought Mrs. Weasley. I want the full fine, every last galleon you have to pay and more."

"But really Harry, be reasonable," Mrs. Weasley said hurriedly, "Are you really sure you want to do this after everything we've done for you…"

"If you mean lie to him and secretly make withdrawals from his private account than you are quite correct Mrs. Weasley," Griphook replied, "He really shouldn't be this generous in my opinion but if Lord Potter- Black has seen it fit in all his wisdom to keep you from going on an extended trip to Azkaban as payment for your crimes than who am I to argue?"

In all truth, Harry just didn't know that a person could be sent to Azkaban for making illegal contracts concerning a Pureblood scion but Griphook didn't see it fit to have mentioned that particular fact. It would be much better to have his client portrayed as the kind, grieving savior who has been brutally betrayed by someone he considered a mother-figure in this case.

"Our business is done here then," Harry summed up, following Griphook's lead, "If you'll excuse me, my family and I have things to do. Good bye headmaster."

With that final reply hanging in the air, the small group swept past the stunned headmaster and horrified Weasley matron into one of Gringott's private rooms, Griphook gleefully following them along with two of the guards.

"Well done Harry," he congratulated, once they were in the room, "Care for refreshments?"

"Some iced pumpkin juice would be great, thanks," Neville answered, accepting a cool glass, "I for one think the look on the Headmaster's face was priceless."

"We can all agree there," Serena agreed before turning to her mate, "Are you okay by all this Harry? If you want we could retract all demands…"

"No," Harry said, taking a deep breath, "Mrs. Weasley deserves no less. I'm just sorry that Bill, Charlie and the twins will be affected by this."

"To be honest, I don't think they'll care," Luna said, thoughtfully, "There must have been some big row between the twins and the rest of the family. Now that the secret marriage contract is out, they'll probably severe all ties. Bill and Charlie are out of the country, probably to escape the family, and they won't be bothered by it too much."

"You're probably right Luna," Harry agreed, before turning to the goblin, "Okay Griphook, what's first on the agenda?"

"You'll have to deal with Hermione Granger right now," Griphook answered, sitting behind his desk, "She is under the impression that she is here for a private bequest, but first you need to deal with the loyalty, love, and obedience curses that are on her. The curses are complicated, but a _Finite Maledicite_ should be good also need to see Remus Lupin, the Tonks family, the Malfoy family and have a quick discussion with your finances and political agenda, of which Draco Malfoy already seems to have prepared. After that-"

"Understood," Harry finally interrupted, "I'm going to be having a busy day."

"I'm sorry Harry," Griphook replied, sympathetically, "I'd like to have given you time to mourn your godfather's passing but as a lord of two Ancient and Noble Houses, you'll have many new responsibilities added to your usual ones."

"That doesn't mean you have to do them alone though," Serena added, reaching up to kiss him softly on the lips, "I'll be here and so will Damien."

"Sure," the small boy nodded enthusiastically and then frowned before asking, a quite serious look on his cherubic face, "Daddy, what's responsibility?"

This seemed to effectively break the ice although Damien still looked confused.

"Well mate, I don't envy you the work," Neville chuckled, "I have to go to my vault as get some gold. Will you be okay for now?"

"I think I can handle it," Harry grinned, "You and Luna can go. I want to deal with Hermione first." The two teens nodded and left, following one of the guards to the Longbottom family vault.

"Ready?", Serena asked.

He gestured for Griphook to let Hermione in.

"Hi Harry. What are you doing here? Dumbledore told me you left after will reading when I came back from using the loo", Hermione said.

"Sorry Hermione", Harry said as he flicked his wand. "_Finite Maledicite!_"

Hermione stumbled and began to fall, but Harry caught her. "_Ennervate_!"

"Harry? What's going on?", Hermione said blearily. Suddenly, she jumped up. "THAT BASTARD! THE NERVE OF HIM, PUTTING LOYALTY AND COMPULSION CHARMS ON ME!"

"Hermione, calm down! We'll talk later. For now, you have to go out to Dumbledore and keep the act up. By the way, you got the Black Library..."

"OK, but this isn't over. I'll owl you in a week, when the coast's clear, OK?", she said as she stalked out.

A few minutes later, Harry stood up, getting ready to greet his second godfather and Remus Lupin walked through the door.

"Harry," Remus exclaimed, relief tempering his voice as Griphook tacitly left the room, "Thank Merlin you're okay. You should have written something before you left the Dursleys. I was so worried that you might be hurt…"

"Sorry Remus," Harry said, feeling guilty as he hugged one of his father's best friends, "I just didn't want you to tell Dumbledore…"

"Tell Dumbledore?" Remus asked, in disbelief, "I wouldn't tell him anything if you didn't want me to. Your secrets are safe with me Harry, you know that.

"I'm sorry if I doubted you," Harry said, wincing, "But there are very few people I can trust and I had to protect myself. More importantly I had to protect Serena and Damien.

"Oh," Remus replied, suddenly looking around the room, "And who is this Serena of yours? Shouldn't I have met her by now?" There was a familiar teasing smile on his face.

"And make her think my only family is crazy?" Harry mock scowled, "Never! I didn't want her to run away, did I?"

"Hello," Serena introduced herself, walking up to the three with Damien following shyly, "I'm Serena. You must be Remus, Harry told me a lot about you."

"Unfortunately I didn't get the same treatment," Remus answered wryly before smiling, "So you two are married now then?"

"We got married yesterday," Harry added, looking embarrassed, "I'm sorry Remus, I wanted to invite you to the wedding but-"

"-you couldn't be sure if I would endanger you and your family by telling Dumbledore or the Order," Remus finished, gently, "I understand Harry."

"Thank you," Harry replied, gratefully, "I didn't want to hurt you."

"You know, you're far too pretty to be marrying my godson," Remus informed Serena, smiling at her, "Are you sure you know what you're getting into?"

"Probably not," Serena admitted, "But that's not going to stop me from standing by him through it all." Remus turned to look at Harry.

"I like this one," Remus nodded at Serena, "Much better than Ginny to be honest. Your parents would have approved as well."

"I'm glad you think so," Harry murmured, smiling, "I want you to meet Damien, your new grandson. Try not to corrupt him just yet."

"So this little fellow must be Damien," Remus grinned, crouching down to look the boy in the face as he offered a hand, "Hello, my name's Remus Lupin. I'll be here to keep you sane considering your parents are crazy."

Damien considered this for a minute before nodding seriously and taking the hand.

"My mum and dad aren't crazy," he said in his childish voice, "Or… well, not that much anyway." Remus laughed a long rich sound while Harry spluttered indignantly.

"We," Remus said when he was done laughing, "Will clearly get along famously." Harry's mutter of 'that's what I'm afraid of' went ignored.

"So what do you plan on doing now?" Serena asked, leaning against the door frame.

"I was considering quitting the Order," Remus admitted, "They haven't done much to stop the war or prepare resources or go on the offensive. I would have quitted earlier but at least they were doing something to stop Voldemort," a small wince followed the name, "while others cowered. I want to help end the war and I don't think there's a better way."

"What if I told you there was?" Harry asked, quietly.

Remus looked him squarely in the eye and replied, "Then I would want to know what that way is and if possible, I'd like to join it." Harry nodded at the honest reply and explained.

"It's not much now but I'm sick of getting pushed around," Harry started, "The Ministry's useless, Voldemort's a delusional megalomaniac with a band of ass licking followers, and Dumbledore's side is consisted of naïve followers who look for a one year old baby to do what they themselves cannot accomplish. I plan on making a side for myself, one to win the war and bring back the rights of magical creatures."

"Those are noble goals," Remus allowed, "But they'll be difficult to accomplish. Do you have the manpower, the resources or the will to see it through?"

"The manpower still needs building," Serena answered, "But my people will fight with us. I don't plan to speak for all vampires, but the Ramanov clan will stand beside Harry till the end. And with us supporting Harry's fraction, the other vampire clans will be dissuaded from joining Voldemort's ranks. They may join ours or remain neutral."

"That's an exceeding amount of loyalty," Remus commented, narrowing his eyes, "What would make your whole clan join the war just to support a wizard that they've only met today?"

"Because their futures rest with the wizards," Serena said simply, "Because one day he'll be their king. Because they know he can bring great changes, both for our clan and for the magical world at a large. Because he's theirs; a king always belongs to his people."

"A king?" Remus exclaimed, looking astonished, "Planning to tell me this anytime soon Harry?"

"Actually it's Lord Harry James Potter- Black, Lord Slytherin, Baron Gryffindor, Prince Ravenclaw, and Heir to the Ramanov Clan," Harry answered, trying not to laugh at the look of pure and utter disbelief on his godfather's face.

Suddenly the old werewolf grinned and replied, "Blimey Harry, how do you write your signature? And to think of all the documents and laws you'll have to sign as a Lord… not to mention all those autographs…"

Harry groaned both from the glee on his godfather's face and on how true his words sounded. Merlin, he'd have to get an official stamp with his name on it or something because just hearing that title made his hand sore.

"So on the point of the war," Serena continued; ignoring the look of total horror on her mate's face, "We have a couple hundred able swordfighters with the ability to practice magic. We'll try to contact other magical races of course and recruit some wizards as well…"

"Actually we were hoping for your help in that respect," Harry said conversationally, "While vampires give us a distinct amount of fighters, we need more."

"So what would you want me to do?" Remus asked, already knowing the answer.

"We need werewolves," Serena said bluntly, "Greyback is the leader of one of the largest werewolves' clans in Europe and a known supporter of the Dark Lord. By eliminating him, we would eliminate a powerful enemy as well as bring fear to the Dark Lord's ranks. It's well known that most of his pack doesn't want to actively support Voldemort so killing their leader would probably get them to join us. However…"

"However," Remus echoed, looking at her intently.

"However Harry's a wizard and I am a vampire," Serena said, glumly, "We need a werewolf to fight him or Greyback, despite all his cruelty, would be considered a martyr and us as usurpers of the pack."

"So you want me to fight Griphook?" Remus asked, wanting them to get to the point.

"We want you to consider that as an option," it was Harry now, "If you don't want to do it than we understand although it's our best choice so far-"

"No, I realize what you mean," Harry said, taking a deep breath, "Greyback has tortured dozens of innocent children, killed even more. He turned me into a werewolf and it's time I pay him back for all those years of misery. I'll fight him."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, worriedly, "He's a strong fighter Remus and I don't want you to get hurt. We could always find another way."

"Let me ask you something," Remus answered, looking at him directly, "This war is dangerous and the Wizarding world owes you nothing. Will you flee and save your life or will you fight against the Dark Lord even if it means, risking your own life?"

"I'd fight," Harry admitted reluctantly, "But it's different fro me. Voldemort tried to kill me, he killed my parents, Sirius…"

"And Greyback turned me into a werewolf," Remus said grimly, "He fights for the man who murdered my best friends and attacked my godson. I'll fight him."

Serena nodded and added, "When you defeat him, and I know that you can, feel free to bring the werewolves to one of the Black estates. They'll have refuge and resources waiting there. Our family has wealth beyond mortal imagination, it's time we put it to some use."

Remus nodded and smiled, "I'll have to leave tonight. Take care of my godson Serena, he means everything in the world to me."

"And to me as well," she replied, before surprising him by reaching up and hugging the old man, "Live through this Remus Lupin. Harry considers you family and so do I."

"Thank you," Remus said, touched, "Don't worry it'll be Greyback that will die this time."

"It better be," Harry answered, mock stern, "Because I for one don't look forward to explaining to Tonks why you didn't call her back."

The sudden blush on Remus's face told Harry everything he needed to know.

"She called you, didn't she?" Harry said, enjoying goading the man, "Ooh, Remus has a crush. That's so sweet. Be a gentleman okay? I don't have to have to discuss with you how to treat a lady properly, do I?"

"What would you know about that?" Remus answered, snorting.

"I'll have you know I've been married," Harry continued, "Therefore I know more than you."

"You've been married for a day," Remus protested.

"That's a day longer than you," Harry retorted, still grinning, "It's really pathetic when your godson gets more action than you do, Remus. Tsk, tsk I'm so disappointed."

"Cheeky little bugger," Remus grumbled, ruffling Harry's dark hair, "I know you have a lot to do, so I'll leave now. I'll see you later, Serena, Damien."

"Wait Remus," Harry called out when the man turned toward the door, "Be careful."

He nodded once, acknowledging the small Wizarding family before turning and heading out the door. After seeing that image, Remus couldn't help but smile. His godson had grown up into a respectable, mature young man with a beautiful, kind wife and a brilliant son. James and Lily would have truly been proud of how far their little Harry came.

"I guess I should go see what Aunt Cissa and Aunt Andy have planned," Harry said, standing up and stretching his stiff shoulders, "Do you two want to come with me?"

"I'll come daddy," Damien volunteered, looking relieved to finally be doing something.

"I want to inspect the Black vaults first," Serena explained, "I'll come a little later so Damien, Luna, Neville and I could finish our shopping for Hogwarts while you discuss business with Griphook and Draco."

"That'd be great," Harry said, leaning up to kiss her before pulling Damien- who was having quite a bit of fun making gagging noises- with him as he left.

"Aunt Cissa," Harry greeted her warmly as his usually icy aunt grinned and reached out to enfold little Damien in a hug.

"My Lord," she replied, her voice practically giddy as she executed a graceful curtsy, "Thank you for freeing me from the House of Malfoy. My appreciation can never be fully expressed but I assure you, my life is yours."

"No thanks are necessary, Cissa," Harry answered, grabbing her by the elbow and steering her toward a couch, "And I would prefer familial titles only in the presence of outsiders. How are you so far?"

"Yeah," Damien added, "How are you without smelly, meanie Lucius around?"

"Perfect," Narcissa said, brushing her hair back as she marveled, "To finally be rid of the monster… I never dared to dream such a day would come."

"Well dream freely now," her Lord responded, "You have your whole life ahead of you. Do you wish to remain in England, Narcissa?" His aunt shook her head regretfully, golden ringlets falling over her shoulder.

"I think it best if I leave Harry," she answered, looking troubled, "In had enough of the war here. I discussed it over with Andy a while ago and we decided that it would be in both our best interests to move to France for the time being. Her husband will be joining us as well."

Harry nodded, his face looking thoughtful as he added, "And how is Aunt Andy dealing with all this? Is she here at the bank?"

"Who's Aunt Andy?" Damien asked, looking curious.

"One of Grandpa Sirius's cousins," Harry informed him before nodding to Narcissa as a sign to continue speaking.

"She and Ted went home to pack, I believe," Narcissa informed him, a genuine smile lighting her lips, "She's delighted by what you have done Harry. Being thrown of the Black family hurt her a lot and being reinstated now was her greatest hope. I think she was planning on staying to thank you but she had to leave early."

"And her daughter?" Harry asked, looking interested by her reply.

"My niece was also interested in expressing her gratitude," Narcissa said, a wry smile tugging at her lips, "The presence of one Remus Lupin made her overlook that fact though."

"I'm glad of that," Harry nodded, standing up and offering a hand to Narcissa, "The Black family château in rural France is yours for the time being. We'll try to visit you soon."

"Thank you my Lord," Narcissa grinned before catching Harry's mock annoyed look, and correcting, "I mean Harry. I'll see you soon then?"

"Can we visit in the summer Daddy?" Damien piped up, his face earnest.

"In the summer then," Harry nodded, laughing at his son's look, "Take care, Aunt Cissa."

"You too, my Lord," Narcissa said firmly, "Be careful."

One final hug later, Narcissa Black was walking across the steps of Gringotts, a rare grin on her beautiful, porcelain face. To anyone who had known the icy socialite for even ten minutes of her former life, were shocked into silence as the stunning Dark witch gave a certain old Leader of the Light the finger before gracefully turning on her foot and Apparating away.

They would be so shocked that they wouldn't even wonder what the Chief Mugwump was doing loitering around Gringotts steps like a common Muggleborn.

"Okay Damien," Serena began, "Let's go over the rules one more time. What are they?"

"Number one: I'm not allowed to go into any store without Aunt Luna, Uncle Neville, or you," Damien repeated, faithfully, "Number two: I am not allowed to insinuate that someone has questionable mental health. Number three: I'm not allowed to speak Parsletongue or tell anybody who my father is. Number four: Just because I'm wealthy doesn't mean I should buy everything and number five: I should follow numbers one to four without complaining."

"Exactly," Luna beamed, as she adjusted her bag, "See now we can go shopping!"

Neville tried not to roll his eyes as he offered his hand to the small boy. He had no doubt whatsoever that at least three of these rules would be broken before the shopping trip. He had just as much faith in that even though Damien would break rules, he wouldn't get punished for it at the least.

Just a perk of being a Potter- Black.

"Okay then," Harry said warily, as he looked between the two maniacs sitting across from him, "What should we do first?"

He had so much work to do that he decided it would be more prudent to complete them both at once… something he was really regretting right about now. Wizards and goblins may have been wholly different species of magical creature but they both shared two defining characteristics: one: they were bloodthirsty, two: they were insane. Now he was stuck between two creatures that showed quite a lot of both traits.

"We decided to start with your finances first," Griphook began with a decidedly not assuring grin. Wasn't his personal financial manager supposed to encourage him or something?

"When the war starts," Draco continued, taking out several leaflets from a file that had suddenly appeared on Griphook's desk and passed them around, "We want anyone and everyone to have to depend on youfor supplies in any field. Therefore if there's someone you don't like, you can just cut off access to resources and provide a crushing blow without actually killing anyone."

"It'll also be a good idea because while all the stores would be officially owned by the Potter family," Griphook added, "It'll still be staffed by all the normal owners and workers. The only difference is that they'll now answer to the new CEO, namely you."

"And by you, he means me or Griphook," Draco said, "Who're technically your political and financial advisers respectfully."

"Thus the formation of Potter Corporation," Griphook finished happily, "This is the list of all the possible businesses we suggest that you purchase. As the Potter and Black vaults combined along with some of your other vaults, money will be no problem. And in a few years, the Potter family will literally own all of magical Britain."

Harry wondered if he should be disturbed at the gleeful tone in Griphook's voice.

The again, looking at the paper, Harry could kind of understand why the goblin just looked like Christmas and his birthday had just come early on the same day.

Potter Corporation Possible Businesses

Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes (33% already owned)

Madame Malkin's Robes and Fittings (25% already owned)

Quality Quidditch Stop (40% already owned)

Flourish and Botts (50% already owned)

Potions Practitioners (5% already owned)

Honeydukes (75% already owned)

Borgin and Burkes (34% already owned)

The Quibbler Newspaper

Jackson's Law Practice (100% already owned)

Eclipse of the Heart Restaurant (20% already owned)

Chudley Cannons (100% already owned)

Auror Materials Shop

Ollivander's Wands

Various Medicine Shops in Diagon Alley (2 owned by Desamond Family)

"How do I already own so much of those stores," Harry asked, in disbelief, looking over the sheet again, "I own a law practice and I'm getting blasted by the Daily Prophet every other week? How is that fair? Wait… why isn't the Daily Prophet here on the list?"

"You own a lot of these shops because many were founded by old and prestigious families," Draco drawled, "Of whom you are now Head of."

"As for the Daily Prophet," Griphook added, a look of distaste on his face as he mentioned the fickle newspaper, "We decided that after its rather… questionable reporting last year, the Daily Prophet should be sued for every galleon we could squeeze out if it and then thrown like a rag doll to a street. That paper is officially finished."

"On the other hand," Draco added nonchalantly, as though they hadn't just spent a nice afternoon deciding on the demise of Wizarding Britain's top paper, "The Quibbler will now be known as the official paper of the Harry Potter. The paper will be bought and then all you have to do is give exclusives for Luna to write about you."

"I don't know about that though," Harry said, frowning, "I don't like having my personal life in the papers…" Draco leaned forward on his seat, his pale grey eyes serious.

"Harry," the teen replied, "Your life is going to be in the spotlight no matter what happens. You'll always be in the public eye. Now at least, you can control you publicity by deciding what gets printed on the paper. Luna's your friend; nothing she writes will harm you."

"You're right," Harry answered, after thinking it over, "I'm the Boy-Who-Lived so I might as well get my own reporter out of it. Anything else you'd like to add?"

"Yes," Griphook said, riffling through his admittedly larger portion of the documents, "We need an official Potter family photographer to get whatever images we decide to send public. Someone with a good eye, a steady hand, and loyalty to you."

"And that person is…" Harry asked, dreading the answer.

"Creevy Collins," Draco answered happily, "He'll be perfect for the job. I already wrote out the letter offering him the job. With your agreement, I'll send it out today."

"I guess you might as well," Harry said, groaning, "You two are enjoying this, aren't you?"

"It's every goblin and Slytherin's dream come true," Griphook answered cheerfully, "Also adding to your new business is a few brand new businesses we want you to finance."

"Let's see it then," Harry answered, wincing.

Potter Corporation (PC) Possible Ventures

MagiCell: A new original PC business in which Muggle inventions can be made to be powered from magic instead of electricity.

Pros: Easy methods of communication; mass production; impressive and unique gadgetry; has no competition

Cons: Never been tried before. Still in experimental stage but has great potential.

Potter Institution:A new although not original PC business to further magical academic learning past Hogwarts stage. Still in experimentation.

Potter Flight Zone:A new, original PC business involving flying modes of transportation not involving brooms or flying carpets. Several types include the flying roller blades, flying motorcycle, flying car and the hover board. '

Pros: Appeals to Muggleborn and non broom-fliers; mass production.

Cons: A certain second year flew a flying car into a Whomping Willow; bad image. As said bad image is also technically the founder of the company; that makes it even worse for us.

Potter Equal Rights Organization:An original PC venture in which non wizards can be offered jobs, housing, counseling and medical care with little or no cost.

Pros: It makes Harry look good and gains us allies.

Cons: Money

"You have to be kidding me?" Harry said weakly, the sentence coming out like a question, "Please tell me your not serious?"

"No, I'm Draco and that's Griphook," Draco joked, "Sirius isn't here." At Harry's pointed look though he blushed and muttered a quick sorry.

"So will we get to do this?" Griphook asked, anxiously.

"Go ahead;" Harry sighed and then muttered, barely audible; "I've created a pair of monsters, haven't I?"

"Yes, you have," Draco answered, looking positively delighted, "I can't wait until the PC starts!" Harry rolled his eyes at the barely concealed glee.

"Well I suppose Potter Corporation will need more members than just me," Harry admitted, "Congratulations Griphook, Draco. You've suddenly been promoted as members of the newly formed Potter Corporation Board. Give yourselves double of what I normally pay you."

"Great," Griphook said, beaming at his employer, "Believe me Harry, after all the money you'll now make, Gringotts will ally with you for the war."

"But what if they don't sell their stores?" Harry asked, seeing a possible complication.

"Oh, don't worry," Draco smirked, "We'll offer them three times their normal price. And if they don't well… we could always drive them out of business."

And this just goes to show you that you don't need to be a Death Eater to be evil.

"Now as for your political stance…" Draco drawled, looking exited as he pulled a dozen sheets of paper from his file, "I have a couple of ideas…" Where did he get a file? Sixteen year olds weren't supposed to go around carrying files!

"Just do what you want," Harry shook his head, handing back the very thick papers without bothering to look at them, "I trust you to represent my interests adequately." Draco blinked.

"You trust me?" he said, looking shocked before Harry snorted.

"Of course not! You're a Slytherin; you won't do anything unless you get something out of it," Harry said, irritated, "But your current level of political power and wealth are tied to me. Plus I'm also your Lord so you'll do brilliantly."

"Thank god you realized that," Draco said, relieved, "I thought your Gryffindor tendencies had gotten the best of you."

"If they had then I wouldn't be alive right about now," Harry said dryly, giving an elegant shrug, "Now if you'll excuse me, my wife will probably return soon so… by!"

And with that Harry wisely decided to flee the room of a certain bloodthirsty politician and shark toothed banker and to the safety of his mate's arms. Draco and Griphook were positively diabolical… he was really glad they were on his side.


	11. Some Fun

A Family like No Other?

Chapter 11: Some Fun

"Why do you look so disturbed love?" Serena asked in concern as her husband walked into the center of the Gringotts bank. Instead of answering, he leaned down to gently press his lips on hers. Serena returned the kiss eagerly, trying to restrain herself from pulling him down and deepening it even further.

She heard grasps from around them of course, and the squeak of feet skidding across the marble as their owners stopped to gape at them, but paid it no mind. Skeeter would, no doubt, have quite a few things to write about tomorrow, but she was fairly confident that Draco would make her toe the line somewhere.

And besides it was none of their damn business anyway.

"Mum, dad," Damien whispered, utterly mortified, "Please stop that! People are staring." Harry and Serena pulled apart and looked from the deeply blushing boy to the witches and wizards who currently looked stunned at the sight of their savior.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Serena asked, paying the crowd no mind. Damien looked pointedly at the group, which was filled with faces still deciding between looking bewildered to looking horrified.

"You're embarrassing me," Damien mumbled, still averting his face from the crowd.

"We are?" Serena asked, confused, while Harry exclaimed, "Already?" The two parents simultaneously looked at each other and grinned.

"We must be really good at this parenting thing," Harry said, delighted, "We've already got the 'humiliating in public' part down."

"Excuse me," a portly old witch asked as she peered from one teen to the other, "But I was wondering sir, are you Harry Potter?"

"Yes, I am," Harry replied, confidently, to the woman, a startling contrast to the anti-social boy he was before, "May I know what to address you as?" The witch beamed at him.

"Such a Pureblood greeting Mr. Potter," she said approvingly, "My name's Mabel of the House of the Velroix, It's an honor to meet one as distinguished as you."

"I assure you madam;" Harry answered graciously, "The pleasure is all mine." He bowed over her hand.

"Move it along, ladies, gents," a voice ordered, and Harry looked over to see Neville and Luna walking up to them. The former was currently eyeing the crowd with clear distaste.

"Nothing to see here people," Neville added and then pointed his wand at one of the men, "Hey, you! Put that camera away before I hex it from your hands! Stop gaping people; the guy's not a sideshow!"

"Don't any of you have a life?" Luna inquired as many of the people began to slip away.

"Harry is anyone here bothering you?" Neville asked as the teen's reached them. Harry reached out to absently ruffle Damien's honey blind hair and shook his head.

"No," he answered, "May I introduce to Mabel Velroix?"

"Good morning, madam," Neville inclined his head respectfully as Luna seconded the greeting.

"Now no more of this madam title, dear," Mabel chuckled, "I may be a Pureblood but not all of us are hopelessly boring and stuffy you know. Now you must be a Longbottom."

"How did you know?" Neville asked, surprised.

Mabel chuckled. "At my age you get to know everyone and their pet Kneazle. Now let's see, you look like your father but quite a bit of Alice's sweetness is in your face too," she confided, "As for our young Lord here, he's a picture perfect James minus the glasses and Lily's striking eyes. Although there's a fair bit of Sirius in there too. Formally adopted you, huh?"

"You knew my parents?" Neville asked, astonished.

"And mine?" Harry added fervently, "And Sirius?"

"Sweeter people couldn't be found in this world," Mabel said, smiling sadly at Neville, "And Lily was such an angel."

"How about my father and Sirius?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Evil little spawns of the devils, those two," Mabel recalled affectionately, "Always getting in and out of trouble. But don't pay any attention to an old woman's ramblings. I daresay Lord Potter- or is it Lord Black- has better things to do."

"It's Lord Potter- Black actually," Harry drew himself up, "And I'm afraid I didn't introduce my companions. This is Serena Potter- Black, my wife, and our son, Damien."

"Wife, is it?" Mabel said shrewdly, chuckling as she turned to face Serena, "And beautiful certainly! I don't suppose all your admirers would fancy that Lord Potter- Black."

"Please, call me Harry," he answered, sending calming waves to Serena from the bond as she bristled. Apparently reminding her of his fan girls was not the wisest of choices.

"I wouldn't worry about it if I were you," Mabel said cheerfully, "Judging from the look on his face, I don't think your young lord would pay them any mind. He's positively smitten."

"Thank you," Serena said quietly, giving her a small smile, "I overreacted a minute ago. I apologize."

"Now there's no need for that," Mabel shook her head, "A vampire's bond with her mate is still a little raw for the first few months. It was tactless of me to bring it up."

There was a few minutes of shocked silence before Luna commented, "You carry the mark of the Druids, wise one."

Mabel turned and smiled at the quiet, observant girl. "And you the blood of the Seers, raven-girl," she replied, "Your mother was not half as powerful." Luna blinked, clearly thrown off at the mention of her mother as Mabel turned her attention to an oddly silent Damien.

"Why aren't you a picture?" she exclaimed, as the small boy looked up with wondering eyes, "A true Potter- Black!" The young child grinned in delight at the compliment as Mabel walked over to a corner of the room. The teens followed her, just realizing that they'd been standing in the middle of the hall for the last five minutes.

"Now tell me," Mabel said conversationally, "After the press gets a hold of your new wedded bliss, panic, bedlam, chaos and everything in between will wreck havoc across Great Britain. After your defection of He- Who- Thinks- Himself- God and your defiance of He- Who- Is- A- Big- Drama- Queen and we have ourselves in quite a pickle. So, are you Light or Dark Lord Potter- Black?"

She looked up, only to find Harry's wand pressed dangerously against her throat, the tip glowing in warning. The others had all taken up positions, covering him from sight in each direction with wands also pointed. Damien stood apart from the, but looked on curiously.

"How do you know all this, and whose side are you on?" Harry asked darkly. Mabel didn't look amused.

"I'm a Light witch Mr. Potter- Black," she answered, snorting, "But that does not mean I go around licking Dumbledore's arse or pretending that my Dark relatives don't exist. As for the Dark Lord, well that's the biggest piece of nonsense I've heard in a long time. As for my knowledge, anyone with an ounce of sense could put that together. You hate the Dark Lord, today was Black's will reading, and when the old codger left, you weren't following him. Of course, this is the Wizarding world I'm talking about so maybe not everyone."

"How do I know I can believe you?" Harry asked, still not moving his wand. Mabel nodded at the blond behind him.

"Ask your personal Seer," she suggested, "After all, not everyone has access to a daily reading of the future. You might as well use it."

"Luna?" Harry asked, not bothering to look away. The girl regarded Mabel for a minute, a crease appearing at her brow, as her pale eyes swept across the woman.

Mabel couldn't help but let a shiver pass her. The girl might not know it but she was exceedingly powerful, it was almost as though every border in Mabel's mind was being stripped apart. This young Lord certainly had a knack for powerful allies.

"She's telling the truth," Luna finally answered; her tone firm, and Harry lowered his wand and stepped away.

"I'm sorry," he said, "But I couldn't take nay chances." Mabel waved his apology away.

"With your new family to look after, I would have been surprised if you'd done nothing," she said dismissively, "But that's not the point. What will you do?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, looking puzzled.

"About the news," she said impatiently, "Don't tell me you haven't considered it!" Mabel looked at the others for help.

"Harry," Serena said thoughtfully, "I think she means to ask what our actions will be when they learn about our family."

"We have to take action about our personal life?" Harry repeated, thoroughly puzzled now. Mabel looked at him in exasperation.

""Tsk, tsk," she muttered, shaking her head, "Honestly my lord, your political skills need work. How will you show yourself at the best possible light? How will you handle the reactions of the Purebloods?"

"If they annoy me," Harry replied, "I'll tell them to go screw themselves." Neville and Damien chocked back a laugh, Luna looked faintly amused and even Serena allowed a small smile to grace her face.

"You know, love, Mabel has a point," Serena mused, "Politics are played everywhere in the Wizarding world, a simple conversation in the cloak room or over sipping cocktails can determine the lives of hundreds of people just as well as a court room can. You'll need to establish yourself as a powerful Pureblood lord of your own right, beyond the influence of Dumbledore or the Dark lord. It's too late in the season to start a ball of our own, although we could stage one in the fall."

"Until then though," Neville pointed out, "You'll have to make some appearance in society. At the very least to show that your not dead. And to dissuade all those rumors that'll pop up."

"Then why not attend a ball for my niece in August," Mabel suggested, "Her family is fairly well-known but pretty neutral. She attends Hogwarts with you."

"Who is she?" Luna asked, as Damien- thoroughly bored by the conversation- sat down and started sucking a blood pop that Neville handed him. Despite his only half vampire nature, he seemed to have a special fondness for the red stained lollipops.

"Daphne Greengrass," Mabel answered, "She's a Slytherin in your year so I suppose you know of her?"

"The Slytherin Ice Queen?" Neville asked, shocked.

"Well I guess she can be a bit anti-social," Mabel allowed, smiling, "But her family doesn't follow the Dark Lord even if they are a bit traditional. Her father- my younger brother by about a decade or so- will accept you."

"It's a kind offer," Harry finally said, "We'll take it into consideration. Thank you."

"Think nothing of it dear," Mabel replied, "Now I must go. Have a nice day."

A bemused Harry watched the old woman totter off in search of a goblin and shook his head. He had the distinct feeling that he'd just made an unexpected yet powerful ally.

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Hermione was infuriated. She could not bear living here anymore, and it had only been three days! She was torn. Escape, or help Harry by staying? So far, she was keeping up the facade, even though she refused to go anywhere near Ron. The nerve of that bastard! Trying to seduce her at every turn, but then turning around and treating her like a whore! The stupid thick-headed bloody idiot! She was glad that he was so stupid that he didn't suspect when she refused to get anywhere near him. She got up and walked towards the study. She needed to talk to Remus. Remus would know what to do.

"I don't know what to do", she muttered. She was all for running, but she wanted to stay to spy for Harry. She had already been in several Order meetings with information that would help Harry. Dumbledore actually let her join the Order, on a "trial" basis, he said. She was now the assistant head of research, for now at least. As if that title did anything. All she did was look for books in the Hogwarts Library for Remus, who was the researcher. He was also a spy for Harry. He was the leader of the resistance in the Order, which now included Mad-Eye, Tonks, Andromeda , the twins, Remus, and herself. They were doing all they could to undermine Dumbledore. While they were researching, she and Remus would fudge the research about Harry and undermine Dumbledore. Best of all, he didn't suspect a thing. He thought the research was correct, so he thought Harry was hiding at Grimmauld Place, thinking that that was why they were barred. Now, Dumbledore had moved the Order to the Burrow. The Burrow had been expanded even more to hold the Order headquarters, which meant adding several rooms, such as a study and a next week, when Hermione escaped, both Tonks would come with her, along with Remus. The twins and Mad-Eye would stay and spy until Harry felt that their cover was at risk.

She entered the study and saw Remus poring over a pile of books. She smiled. Remus, like her, was a bookworm. She and Remus combined were Harry's research force.

"Remus", she whispered, "We need to talk."

Remus looked up, startled. "What? Oh. Come on in. Close the door."

The conversation that followed was long and lasted almost an hour. As she expected, she would stay until Monday, when she would escape with the Tonks and Remus. They laid out plans, routes, back up plans, all that was needed for a safe escape. She was looking forward to Monday.

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"Ah," Damien cried out dramatically, as they stepped outside the building. He used his hands to cover his head and shouted, "It burns!"

"Damien," Serena said patiently, "You're not a full blooded vampire. The sunlight doesn't kill you."

"Oh," the little boy answered, looking crestfallen as his hands came down, "But that's not fair!" He stomped his foot and pouted. "Nothing ever tries to kill me! Dad got an evil Dark Lord after him when he was a baby. But do I get that? Noooo, I have to be the safe child. If I met You-Know-Who he'd probably bake me cookies!"

"Don't feel bad kiddo," Neville said comfortingly, "I'm sure there's one person out there who's just perfect to hate your guts. The Dark Lord is your father's arch enemy but I'm sure at least one Death Eater will want to kill you; the half-blood spawn of the Chosen One."

"You're right!" Damien said brightening, "I'll pick Grandpa Lucius! He'll want to kill me for sure!"

"That's the spirit," Harry encouraged. Serena frowned.

"Honestly you two," she scolded, "Don't give him any ideas. Now Luna and I will be at Madam Malkin's to get the robes we'd purchased. We'll be gone for a few minutes. Behave."

"We'll be model citizens," Harry swore and bent down to kiss her cheek, "Have fun."

As soon as the two parents left, Damien turned to his gullible- by which, he meant loving- father and uncle to ask the all important question, "Can I have candy?"

"Sorry Damien," Harry replied, apologetic, "But Serena took all of my gold and my Gringotts card so I couldn't buy you any sweets."

"Ditto," Neville shrugged, "You're on your own." Damien looked horrified.

"But how will I get my blood pops?" he said, clearly distressed.

"Didn't you have enough for today?" Neville asked, "Maybe you should lay off it for a while." Damien gave his uncle a look to signify that he'd obviously lost his mind.

"You know there might just be a way…" Harry mused, bringing his holly and phoenix feather wand up and imagining two certain materials as he pointed it at two rocks lying nearby. A pop later indicated that he got what he wanted. With a satisfied smile, Harry reached down and picked up a large two liter can of Diet Coke and some candies that Americans called Mentos.

"This should do it," Harry said, looking pleased. He handed the materials to his son who looked down at them in confusion.

"What will this do?" Damien asked, looking doubtful. Harry quickly crouched down and gave some whispered instructions to the boy. Neville tried not to wince as Damien's emerald green eyes lighted up in wonder. This is what you get when you have three generations worth of Marauder mischief bottled into one little, bored boy.

"Uncle Neville," Damien said, giddily, as he pointed to a middle aged man in the streets, "Do you think he's a Pureblood?" Neville looked over the man carefully. He had the bearings and look of a middle class Pureblood and judging from the looks he sent those girls in T-shirts and jeans, he was clearly not a fan of the Muggleborn.

"Traditional one, I think," Neville summed up, "Why?"

"No reason," Damien said, smirking as he walked up to the man, "Good afternoon, sir, would you help me with something?"

"Why in Merlin's name would I help a little Muggle scum?" the man sneered, looking down at the small boy. Beside him, Harry tensed and Neville was careful to keep a firm grip on his shoulder as Damien smiled up sweetly at the burly man.

"I apologize for my attire good sir," Damien said smoothly, no doubt racking up training from Draco, "But I am a Pureblood of the House of… Bones. Yes, I am a distant relative of the House of Bones."

"You don't look like you're a Bones," the man continued gruffly, but this time his tone was a bit friendlier.

"My mom was a Bones," Damien lied, "I take after my father. He's a well-known wizard in… Japan."

"Well what do you want then?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow in question. Damien gave the man his most innocent smile.

"Well sir, my name is Anthony," Damien answered, stalling, "What's yours?"

"Johannes," the man grunted, "From the house of Eyras."

"An honor sir," Damien replied, "So, my father told me of this very interesting potion that's been used often in Japan. I was wondering if you'd be willing to help me with it."

"Oh, what's the potion?" the man asked, intrigued. Damien beamed at him.

"It's rather simple really," he gushed, "Most of the work has already been done and the potion is in its final stage." He produced the liter of Diet Coke and let the dark brown liquid swish inside. "It just needs one more ingredient to finish!"

"Then why don't you do it yourself?" the man asked, looking suspicious.

"Only a wizard with fully mature magic can do it sir," Damien answered, giving him a pleading look, "I'm too young. Please? I really want to see the potion finished."

"Well I guess there can be nothing wrong with helping a little Pureblood with some potions," the man chuckled, "Hand it over little tyke."

"Oh, thank you, sir," Damien said fervently, "Just pours this into the bottle, close it, and shake it really hard. Than open it and point it at your face. It helps smooth wrinkles." He poured a couple of white mentos into the man's hand.

"What's this?" the man asked, looking at the small, innocuous, white candies with interest.

"Rare newt eyes from the Caribbean," Damien said hurriedly.

"Well if you say so," Johannes said and poured them into the drink. He closed the bottle and started shaking it. "Err… is it supposed to be fizzing like that?"

"Of course," Damien said assuredly, "The… um, newt eyes are dissolving because of the… dark pixie dust from… China." The man looked confused but nodded anyway to not seem like a fool in front of the confident boy.

"Well let's see what happens than," the man said, masking his nervousness as he opened he bottle and pointed it to his face. Damien took a step back, as the frothing, caffeinated, dark brown drink sprayed into the air, completely drenching the man. Johannes spluttered, as the sweet, icy liquid flew up his nose and into the light pupils of his eyes.

"Oh, no!" Damien cried out, distressed, "The potion went wrong!"

"What went wrong?" the man cried out frantic, "What's happening to me? Will I be alright?"

"I'm sorry sir," Damien said, lowering his eyes and masking his voice with sympathy, "But the mixture that just covered you was an incredibly potent and dangerous potion if handled the wrong way. I'm afraid… that you only have twenty four hours to live."

"Twenty four hours?" Johannes repeated, dazed and horrified, "But then, what with I do? There must be a cure!" Damien inclined his head to the side, as though considering something.

"Well, there is one way," he said, slowly, "Although I shouldn't… it is a secret after all… no, I shouldn't say anything… even though it's a terrible, prolonged, painful death in which your intestines shrivel up and your pores sweat blood… like the Cruciactus Curse they say… even worse, when boils spread across your body and emit this horrible ooze… burning pus even…"

"Please, you have to give it to me," the man said desperately, conveniently forgetting that it was Damien's potion in the first place, "I'll do anything! Please, have mercy…" He fell on his knees, tears streaming down the cold liquid on his face, desperation on every line…

…wow, Pureblood wizards really are idiots, Damien thought, impressed.

"I like you so I'll give you the cure," Damien said, grandly, "In exchange for twenty galleons."

"Huh?" the man looked up confused. Damien gave him a sweet smile.

"Come on, now," he coaxed, "Surely your life is worth twenty mere galleons…"

"Whatever you say," Johannes answered, grateful as he pulled up handfuls of the shiny gold coins and gave them to the boy, "Now please, please save me!"

"Well it's rather simple," the boy smiled, "Just take a bath under the moonlight on a hill, completely naked, in salamanders pee, and say the magic words."

"Yes," the man said, rapt as he listened to every word, "Please, what are then magic words?"

Damien made a stern face. "Now listen carefully," he instructed, "And repeat after me. Oompa loompa-"

"Oompa loompa," the man said, obediently.

"Tama tuku tha-"Damien continued.

"Tama tuku tha-"Johannes repeated.

"Willy Wonka says so," the boy finished grandly.

"Willy Wonka says so," Johannes ended, "Oh, thank you! How can I ever repay you for your kindness?"

"Well it's hard to put a price tag on emotional support," Damien said, modestly, "But because I really do like you… fifteen more galleons should cover it."

"Thank you so much," the man continued gushing, as he handed over the money.

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure, whatever you like," Damien said absently, counting the coins, "Now this should be enough for at least a dozen Blood Pops! Thanks mister!"

He turned around and walked over to his father and godfather who had watch all this with a mixture of reactions. Neville looked absolutely stunned but Harry gave him a broad smile as Damien happily showed his father the coins in his hand.

"So can I get some candy now?"


	12. New Wands

Chapter 12: New Wands

Somewhere far above in the levels of heaven

Sirius: We have an heir to the Marauders!

James: Isn't it great! That's my grandson!

Sirius: Now all he needs is a harem! (Receives weird looks from everyone else) What? It's not a bad idea! Ouch! (Rubbing his head) Why'd you hit me?

James: He's not even eleven yet! Are you insane? (Glares at Sirius) No wait… don't answer that. Hey… where's Lily?

Sirius: (shrugs) I think she fainted when she heard we have an heir for the Marauders. I don't think she took the news pretty well.

James: (confused) Why? It's great news! Weren't we supposed to do something though?

Sirius: Nah can't remember a thing.

James: I got it! This story is not owned by Madrigal-in-training.

Sirius: Oh yeah, some chick named J.K. Rowling owns us.

James: I'm pretty sure it wasn't Rowling who owned us. It was Elvis.

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"Where did Damien get those sweets?" Serena asked, looking puzzled as she saw the blond boy happily sucking on a bright cherry red lollipop.

"I'm glad to see you too love," Harry joked quickly, pulling her in to kiss her, "How was your shopping?" This effectively distracted the suspicions mother and as Serena started describing some of the outfits she'd bought for Damien, Neville activated a portkey and they returned to the Ramanov castle.

"So this is your room than, mate?" Neville whistled as they all arrived in Serena and Harry's room, "Nice place. Had a lot of fun here?" He started to snicker as Harry blushed under the implications.

"Tease Harry later, Nev," Luna ordered as she gracefully made her way toward the door. The dreamy look in her blue eyes had vanished, leaving them sharp, like shards of ice. "The king and queen are waiting for us."

A minute later a small pop sounded, signaling the arrival of an exited Dobby, whose Potter uniform was accessorized with a bunch of pockets and colorful badges. Harry had to chuckle as he saw what one of them said: I'm allergic to red Weasels. He'd have to get Dobby to make him a human sized one later.

"The great Master Harry Potter, sir," Dobby greeted, giving the embarrassed teen a military style salute; "The king and queen have commanded your presence. The wand maker is here!"

All of them turned, and astonished, looked at Luna who just seemed bored as she waited for them to come.

"Well she is a Seer," Serena said by explanation, and they followed the princess down the stone hallways as Damien chattered on behind them.

"Can I have my own wand Daddy?" Damien appealed to his father, grabbing his hand and swinging from it as he walked, "Pretty, pretty, pretty please."

"Aren't you a bit too young Damien?" Serena asked. The small boy pouted.

"But you promised me," he wheedled, "It's a training wand mum, I can't go to Hogwarts without it! I'll look foolish." Serena considered that for a minute.

"What do you think Luna?" she asked instead, and Damien turned his pleading emerald eyes on his godmother instead. Luna was usually the least effected of all of them when it concerned Damien's piercing gaze but even she couldn't stand under the onslaught of such an adorable gaze. Especially when those emerald eyes belonged to her godson.

"Damien does have a point," she said reluctantly, "And we would be with to teach him at all times…"

Damien sensing that victory was close appealed to his uncle/godfather Neville for help. "Please Uncle Nev; I'll be good and do my very best. Can't I have a wand?"

"He's a Potter- Black," Neville said in a quiet undercurrent, "Even if we think he's too young, it won't stop others from harassing him. He should be able to do basic spells at least."

"This is our son we're talking about Ser," Harry reminded her, "He'll be mature enough."

"You're right," she sighed, relenting, "Damien can have a practice wand if, and only if, he promises to do all of his magic around us with the exception of an emergency."

"Promise," Damien gleefully shouted, rushing forward to hug his mother. Serena laughed, and accepted the hug from the exuberant boy.

Soon they reached the king's greeting chamber and stepped inside. Harry looked around curiously to see where his father-in-law spent most of his time working. The room was surprisingly comfortable and done in warm shades of cream and white.

There was an oak table set with cakes and treats in the center of the room with white couches and chairs surrounding it. On one of the couches, the king, queen, and an old man, with a dark gray beard sat talking. A snake was slithering on the floor below them and was the first to notice them, giving an exited hiss to signal their arrival.

"Delia!" Damien shouted, and the small boy and the big snake happily reunited, hissing their greetings to each other. Soon Damien was sitting on the floor, telling the magical python all about their day at the bank and afterward.

Harry couldn't help but be eternally grateful to whatever gods up there that Serena didn't understand Parsletongue, especially when his son recounted the potion incident in great detail.

"So this is your grandson Jonathon?" the old man remarked, looking curious, "Why isn't he the picture of Serena! And he speaks Parsletongue?"

"That came as a surprise to us as well," Jonathon answered dryly, "Then again, he is a Potter- Black."

"I can't believe it," Serena greeted excitedly, and the old man stood up to beam at her, "You're here!"

"And you went and got yourself a family," he grinned, reaching out to give the princess a fond hug, "How is your wand? 9 inches of hazel to symbolize intelligence, creativity, and wrath with a rare core of Acromentula web?"

"It's in tip top shape as usual," she said, taking a step back to gesture to her friends, "This is my husband, Lord Harry James Potter- Black, long list of titles, Chosen One, Boy-Who-Lived, etcetera. He needs a wand so I brought him here."

"Oh," the man asked keenly, staring at the boy with unnervingly dark, intense black eyes. Harry just got a disturbing mental reminder of Professor Snape. "The Boy-Who-Lived needs a wand, does he? Well, yours will certainly be unique Mr. Potter- Black, one to pave the way for a legacy as great as the gods. Magic itself could bow to your will but only if you play it right."

"Please, call me Harry," the young lord said weakly, rather intimidated by the man. He seemed positively delighted at the idea of creating such a potentially deadly wand.

"Harry's not the only one who needs a wand," Serena interjected quickly once she felt her mate's discomfort, "My friends Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood also require them. And my son, Damien is getting one."

"Your son?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow, "If you recall there's an age limit on just who can receive a wand."

"In special circumstances though," Serena argued, "Those rules can be brushed off. An archaic law in Wizarding society clearly states that a Pureblood heir with magical blood is allowed a wand under unique circumstances within the law due to special needs and/ or abilities."

"That's technically correct," Melinda seconded, "But won't that bring unneeded attention to your family?" Harry was the one to reply this time.

"I'll deal with the nosy reporters if it ensures my son's safety," he said firmly, "Voldemort won't care if he's underage."

"You have a point then," the old man decided, "I'll make you all wands. Now in fact."

"Now?" Harry asked, startled, "You have all of your materials here with you?"

The old man chuckled at his surprise, "Any good wand maker carries the tools of his trade wherever he goes. And now is just a good time as any."

"Then why not?" Harry laughed, "My life is weird enough as it is. Getting a second wand by a renowned but notorious wand maker in the royal chamber of a magic using vampire clan seems pretty tame. At least, there's no basilisk involved."

Serena's eyes narrowed and she hissed, "What did you just say, dear?"

Now Harry was a brave, noble young prince who had faced the greatest Dark Lord of each time and survived as well as battled deadly creatures that strike fear into the hearts of grown men as a mere child, yet he felt no less manly for it as he took a big step back from his wife and gulped.

"Well, that is… Dumbledore was arrested and… Riddle… see, Ginny…" Harry tried to explain, weakly. He gulped as Serena's eyes darkened at the mention of the youngest redhead. Maybe Ginny was best not cited.

"Oh, so it's their fault," Serena drawled, looking eerily like a plotting Draco Malfoy, "That explains everything."

Harry nodded quickly as his wife's anger redirected itself at the barmy, old, Santa codger and Queen of the she-weasels. Better them than him; he was too young and handsome to die. Although that's better than dying a virgin like Dumbledore, Harry realized without sympathy. It was really the old man's fault after all; if he wanted a girlfriend he should have stopped wearing those pink and green polka-dotted robes, twelve decades ago.

"Now about that wand," Neville interjected, looking amused, "Why don't we see what Harry gets?"

Melinda nodded in agreement and even Jonathon looked up from the files he was overlooking to look at them in interest. (This may or may not have to do with the fact that they would drive Prof. Binn's to true death over inescapable boredom) It was Damien though, who immediately jumped up to give his full and undivided attention.

"Tell me Prince Harry," the wand maker asked, as he pulled a small matchbox from his pocket, and with a tip of his wand, enlarged it to be the size of two standard Hogwarts trunks, "Are you left or right handed?"

"I'm ambidextrous," Harry replied, "Although I have been known to favor my left hand during a duel." The man nodded as he took out a strange object from his trunk. Harry would have said it looked suspiciously like a Muggle protractor, with several knobby dials made of burnished silver. The thing flew out of the wand maker's hand and knobs began to twist as it measured the angle between Harry's elbows to wrists.

"Now I'll lay down several types of common woods," the man instructed, "Lift your hand over it and it'll tingle at your touch. Tell me which wood works best for you."

"But aren't you just going to give me a ready-made wand?" Harry asked, startled.

The man snorted and said disparagingly, "Like that fool, Ollivander? No, your highness, every wand I make is custom made to fit the wizard. I do not settle for second best with a ready- made wand." He said the words, ready-made, as though it were a curse.

"Please, just call me Harry," the Lord answered, as he lifted his hand and obediently waved it over the wands. When nothing happened though, he felt, much like he did when he was still a scrawny child of eleven first introduced to the wonders of magic, not a little bit foolish.

"You are a prince of noble birth and lineage," the man said shortly, "Deal with it." He quickly moved the wands away and his interest peaked, "So, the common types don't work for you, do they? Well I suspected as much. You, my Lord, are destined for great things."

"And everyone makes it their mission in life to tell me," Harry retorted, smiling wryly as the man quickly removed the woods and laid a much smaller pile at the desk.

"Your fault for being so special," Serena replied, leaning up to place a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"Pick a wood already Daddy," Damien commanded, "I want to see what type you get!"

Jonathon chuckled, "Seven and already ordering us about and expecting to be obeyed. He takes after you Serena."

Serena blushed as Melinda laughed and the others looked on in curiosity. Harry raised his eyebrows and asked, "How was she as child?"

"Demanding," the old man answered immediately, "Stubborn. Troublesome. The fear of every vampire in this clan. When I came here once when she was five, she demanded I make her a wand. I told her no, but she managed to filch one from me anyway and after realizing that she couldn't use any magic with it- not matter how hard she tried- on an annoying Draco, she hit him over the head with it instead."

"Did you really do that mum?" Damien asked in wonder, staring up at his mother with curiously alight emerald eyes, "What else did you do?"

"There was that time she and Draco threw the cook into the lake after they turned her assistant into a frog," Melinda recalled, "But that's a story for another time."

"Now, the wands," the man hinted, oh-so-subtly, as he gestured to the pile, "Any day, my Lord?" Harry blushed and didn't bother to correct him again. Instead moved his hand over the pile, bypassing several of the woods, before one, a slender branch of grayish white color emitted a faint pull to his hand.

The wand maker noticed and deftly picked up the branch, examining it with clear interest, "Fascinating… this is rather rare branches type your highness. An ash branch, rumored to be from the Yggdrasil tree, the tree of life from Celtic legend. It is said to have two rivers below its roots and the three sisters of Fate, spin life under its branches… ironically poetic, I daresay. The ash symbolizes power, intelligence, and overcoming great hardships. All in all, it's rather fitting."

Harry nodded, his hand itching to touch the welcoming invite of the ash wand once more. It was rather fitting, what with the hand the Fates dealt him. After feeling the warm connection with the ash wood, he couldn't believe he had settled for the holly branch for so long.

"Now as for the core," the man added, a disturbing glint in his eye, "Let's see his highness gets." He took out several jars full of varying things, from one that looked like liquid silver, to a blood red powder, to what Harry instantly realized as dragon heartstrings.

Without any hesitation this time, Harry's hands ran through the materials and paused over one with a silvery blue powder inside, Oddly enough, his hand also started moving toward a vial of dark red liquid that emitted a faint but persistent tingle.

"Dark moon powder," the man observed, "It stands for mystery, wisdom, and darkness although it's primarily a source of light energy. And… vampire blood?"

"It's not as strong as the other one," Harry explained, looking nervous, "Is it normal to have more than one wand core?"

"Normal?" Luna was the one talking, "No. Expected? Most definitely. Although the vampire blood is possibly weaker because it's not your mates. Royal blood from someone whose soul bonded to you would be more powerful."

Harry was about to protest using Serena's blood for anything before the princess herself cut in, "How much do you need?" At the look on her mate's face she added, "My choice Harry, and I want to give enough to you and Damien as well."

"One vial should do it," the man pushed an empty vial and a knife toward her. Serena quickly picked it up and pressed it against her wrist, making a thin trickle fell out into the vial before her vampire healing faded the cut into a light scar and than finally smooth, unblemished skin.

"This should do it then," the wand maker, took the vials and the wood away and placed it in his trunk, "I'll have it ready for you in an hour. Who's next?"

Next Neville volunteered to pick his wand, and chose an ivy wood base, with a core of powdered unicorn horn and demiguise hair. According to the old man, the ivy wood symbolizes optimism, determination and spiritual growth while the demiguise hair, a usually potent and rare core is stabilized by the calm healing influence of the powdered unicorn horn.

Luna went next, gaining a wand of lilac wood which stood for divinity, intelligence, mental concentration, and, much to the young Seer's embarrassment, romance. The core of her wand was the augury tail feather, also known as the Irish phoenix feather which also held symbolism in the spiritual realm. The wand maker added that the wand would be especially powerful when dealing with illusion magic.

It was Damien's wand though, that caught everyone's attention. In a scene much like his father's, the young royal took a disturbingly long amount of time when picking out the materials for his wand. He finally picked a beautiful shade of alder wood, which promised him bravery, leadership, intelligence, and spiritual journey's ahead. His core consisted of billywig stinger, the wand almost exclusive to the light hearted prankster, and a vial of his mother's blood, signifying powerful Dark magic.

"I will say this, Lord Potter- Black," the wand maker finished, as he placed everything into his trunk, "You have some very interest acquaintances. That son of yours will do you proud."

"Damien will certainly change the world," Serena said confidently, "But he'll take charge of a world his father cleansed before him. He'll grow up in an era of peace."

"You may be right," Melinda remarked, "But even without a Dark Lord to face, your son will make some considerable changes. You don't have to be a Seer to divine that."

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"What's on the agenda now then?" Neville asked, as Serena said good bye to their parents and led the other four- and a rather exited snake- down a brightly lit corridor. Harry gave a noncommittal shrug, looking uncomfortable as the few vampire servants they passed on the way to heaven knows where, bowed low to him and Serena.

"Lunch," Serena replied, looking up from the hall to give them a grin, "Than we have to get our wands and have a trip to the library."

"The library?" Harry asked, "Why the library?" Serena shot him a brilliant smile.

"We're going to coordinate the lesson plan for all of us during the summer break," she explained, "Than, when school starts, you'll already have progressed quite a bit. That's this month, and next month we'll also have war negotiations, Draco's handling those, press conferences, Draco's handling those and a law to pass in the Wizegamont, thankfully Draco doesn't need us to be there when he's handling those."

"Recruiting Draco was the best idea I ever had," Harry said in relief as she rattled off all the things they had to do, "I don't pity him those law changes. Wizard politicians are bloodthirsty."

Neville shrugged, "Draco seems to enjoy it. Then again, he's a Slytherin. They're crazy."

"You know we might just become Slytherins soon," Harry mused, "Or Ravenclaws when we get back to school. We can't stay in Gryffindor, that's for sure. He may be my ancestor, but these generations of lions are insane." Luna grimaced.

"I pity you," she said, shuddering, "Although not many of the Ravenclaws are quite kind."

"What do you mean Aunt Luna?" Damien asked, sweetly, as Delia hissed in agreement. Luna smiled down sadly at her nephew.

"They used to hurt me," she whispered, "Nothing very bad. I was just the odd one, so they stole my things, played pranks on me… once; they locked me in the dungeon for hours."

"They did what?" Neville asked, shocked, as Harry and Serena looked horrified. He grabbed Luna's arm and spun her around to look him in the eye, "How old were you?"

Luna looked up, startled by Neville's unexpected lack of control. The answer slipped out her lips before she could stop it, "First year."

"They locked you in the dungeon when you were eleven?" Neville growled, eyes darkening.

"You're changing your house," Serena said abruptly, as Damien looked upset at the idea of his delicate looking aunt being hurt, "I have no idea what Dumbledore was doing, making all the Houses end up like this. Everyone in Slytherin is branded a Death Eater, from first years to the actual Death Eater recruits, Hufflepuffs are being used as doormats, Gryffindor is proving more vicious than any Slytherin and getting away with it!"

"He just chose to breed more fear and hate onto every single one of them," Harry said, disgusted, "Whether it's sending a little boy to abusing relatives, to stealing money from a Lord, to telling Muggleborns about the horrors of little Slytherin's everywhere. Don't worry Luna; they'll pay. No one hurts an ally of the house of Potter, or Black, or Desamond, or whichever of my many titles."

"So the only house left for us is Slytherin and Hufflepuff?" Neville asked.

"Actually, it'd best be Slytherin," Harry told them, "Slytherin was one of my ancestors, and I'll get more power over that part of the castle than I would in neutral Hufflepuff territory. Add in the shock factor, the Pureblood connections, and the close proximity to my political advisor, Draco, and we've the perfect house."

"Slytherin," Neville groaned, "My ancestors are rolling in their graves right about now."

"Well my ancestors have already ripped out all their hair and are considering killing themselves all over again," Harry replied, "The Wizarding world is sure to be in for a surprise."

Luna grinned, "I know your motives behind it and even I have trouble believing that the Golden Boy of Gryffindor is turning to a Snake."

"That reminds me Nev," Harry added, "Draco decided you're eligible to become one of his friends." The horrified face given by the Longbottom heir after that announcement prompted a round of laughs.

"It's official," Neville shook his head, "The world has suddenly gone crazy."


	13. Secrets Revealed

13. Secrets Revealed

Secrets Revealed: Chosen One Has A New Family!

Now Named Lord Potter-Black!

By Xenophiles Lovegood

In the quest for the truth, the Quibbler has brought its viewers the latest news on the life of the Boy-Who-Lived. This summer seemed to have brought quite a few changes to Potter. Although Gringotts refuses to comment, several witnesses had seen that a one Harry James Potter had attended a will reading for his recently deceased godfather, Lord Sirius Orion Black.

As all readers know, Black was falsely convicted of several crimes during the last reign of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, the most serious of which was betraying the Potters and murdering thirteen people (Peter Pettigrew and 12 unnamed Muggles) Although he was sentenced to a lifetime in the prison Azkaban (see page 4 for more details of Black's case) he managed to escape and evade the Ministry. He was killed in the Department of Mystery fiasco by what was reported to be a killing curse shot by his own cousin, Bellatrix Lestrage.

The former Lord and prisoner however, seemed to still have a few tricks up his sleeve despite his untimely death. By bestowing the title of Lord Black to his godson, Harry, and adding the title of Lord Potter from his deceased friends, Black ensured that the Chosen One would now be viewed as an adult under Wizarding Law. What are some of the effects of this change? Well now, Potter has the right to vote in the Wizegamot, control all family assets (see page 6 for a passage on the brief histories of the Black and Potter family lines) and decide all personal matters for both himself and any of his charges.

This recent change has also led me to be happy to report that the Chosen One seemed to have tied the knot! As one of the invited guests to the wedding, I can personally astute to the fact that the new Lady Potter-Black is as lovely as she is rumored to be. The match between those two was truly one of love; I for one had never seen a more delighted young man as one Mr. Potter when his new wife and he were married.

When asked for a quote on her marriage to the Chosen One, Serena Potter-Black had this to say, "My mate and I were thrilled to be married so soon. We have a small, happy family already and I know Harry wants to ensure our continued happiness and safety. Both of us will do whatever it takes to get rid of the threat known as Voldemort, so our son, Damien, can live a life without his tyranny."

Her declaration was not an idle one. The current wife of Harry Potter is the heir to the Ramanov throne (the greatest European vampire clan), as well as a powerful spell caster and dueler in her own right. Versed in both politics and the finer arts, she seemed to me at least, a perfect wife for someone with all the demands and responsibilities as Potter.

Their blood-adopted son, a 7 year old boy, with his father's emerald eyes and his mother's honey blond hair, is the current heir to both his father's titles and his mother's crown. A half-vampire, he's also the nephew of one Draco Black, formerly known as Draconian Malfoy.

Other guests included in their private wedding were the king and queen of the Ramanov Clan (Potter's new in-laws), Draco Black (his new political manager), Neville Longbottom (heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom) and Luna Lovegood.

An Interview with Harry Potter Can Be Found on Page 12

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An Interview With Lord Potter- Black

Xenophiles Lovegood: I'm flattered that you were willing to give me an interview, Lord Potter- Black. You were not known as the type to enjoy publicity.

Lord Potter-Black: Please just call me Harry. While I am not a big fan of interviews, someone very close to me said that I should try to manage my publicity. And the Quibbler has been the only paper to not openly slander me over the years.

X.L. (sympathetic): Rita Skeeter?

Harry (grimacing): Rita Skeeter.

X.L.: So tell me Harry… what does the future hold for you and your family?

Harry: I intend to return to Hogwarts at the start of the next term, with my family accompanying me.

X.L.: I did not think that Hogwarts allowed spouses and minors to attend the school, Lord Potter-Black.

Harry (shrugs): I suppose they don't for normal students.

X.L.: You intend to use your fame to get this? I thought you hated taking advantage of your Chosen One status.

Harry (bitterly): They hate me for that even if I don't use it. I figure if I'm going to get grief about it, I might as well do it.

X.L.: But are you sure that being the Boy-Who-Lived will even let you blatantly destroy the rules like this?

Harry (amused): Technically, I'm not breaking any rules. As the heir to three of the Founders, I have every right for both me and my family to attend Hogwarts however and whenever we please. The castle will not reject its true masters.

X.L. (astonished): It was commonly believed that the Potter's were distant relatives of Godric Gryffindor but three of the Founders? Who else could it be?

Harry: It turns out I'm also the descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin.

X.L.: But with the power of three of the Founders, you essentially have power over all of Hogwarts!

Harry: I suppose I do. And I intend for there to be a lot of changes under my rule.

X.L. (interested): Such as?

Harry: For starters, the current Board of Governors- groups of corrupt, self-promoting idiots if I do say so myself- will be dismantled. In its place will be a new board. Members currently include Draco Back, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Serena Potter- Black and myself.

X.L.: Aren't all those members underage however? And either directly or indirectly related to you? In fact, one of them is your wife!

Harry (shrugging lazily): I considered placing Damien in the board too, but I don't think the students will handle a seven year old running their school very well.

X.L. (shocked): You would give a seven year old control of Hogwarts?

Harry: He can't do any worse of a job than the idiots currently running the place.

X.L. (conceding the point): True. Will this effect which houses you will be in at Hogwarts?

Harry: It has been my choice- and that of my friends, Luna and Neville- to change houses at the start of the new term. We will all be enrolled in Slytherin House.

X.L.: The House that was best known for producing Dark Wizards?

Harry: No, the only House in Hogwarts that hasn't either gone completely barmy, idiotically fanatical, or deliberately cruel. By this of course, I mean the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw Houses.

X.L.: What do you mean Harry?

Harry: My ancestors would be ashamed to see what their Houses have come to in this generation. Students are being backstabbed, slighted, and even intentionally attacked in their time at Hogwarts. We're all encouraged to split into groups and hate everyone else not completely like us. The Slytherins received the worst of this punishment; but that doesn't make them evil.

X.L.: I had no idea. Can you explain this, Harry; these are very serious accusations after all.

Harry: When I first put on the Sorting Hat, it wanted to put me in Slytherin. I made the mistake of automatically assuming the worst of the House and ended up miserable for years at Gryffindor. The Slytherin House prizes ambition and cunning yes… but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

X.L.: That's very open-minded of you actually. I, for one, will certainly try to keep a better view on things. I'm afraid I was also one of those prejudiced people.

Harry (quietly): The Dark Lord gets his fair share of followers from Slytherin, I admit, but the man who betrayed my parents came from Gryffindor. And my godfather, Sirius Black, died fighting the Death Eaters even though his family had been Slytherin for generations. His brother, Regulus Black, was a Snake who died fighting againstRiddle.

X.L.: You bring up a lot of fair points Lord Potter-Black, but why do so many people believe the prejudices today?

Harry (angrily): Because Albus Dumbledore, the almighty leader of the Light, tells them to. He encourages House rivalry, especially against the Slytherins, as a means of punishing children of Death Eaters and other Purebloods. The irony of it all is that most of these are children who weren't even born during the Dark Lord's first reign.

When asked any further questions, Harry Potter refused to comment.

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Dumbledore put down the newspaper with a near murderous look in his eyes, "How dare he!" the Headmaster all but snarled.

Severus Snape didn't look very troubled by the change in countenance.

Of course, in all honesty, Severus was indeed truly disturbed by the changes found in both of his masters by one Harry Potter. It was just years of deadly word games and intricate lies that kept his face as expressionless as it was. Snape didn't the Headmaster had ever looked so furious before.

"He's a Potter," Snape sneered, playing his role as perfectly as always. But had the headmaster been more vigilant, he may have noticed that the words lacked their usual cold bite. And had Severus' Occlumency shields not been as strong as they were, he would have known that in his spy's room, in a warded box, lay a single piece of paper.

There was nothing very unusual about the paper. Just a piece of parchment with a message scribbled on it by someone whose writing was rather poor. It was a measly excuse for a letter but for the name scrawled at the bottom. And the message it held of course.

Harry Potter had written him a letter it seemed.

"The boy is ruining everything," Dumbledore glared, before coming to control with himself, "Thank you Severus for showing me this article. Although what Xenophiles was thinking, writing something like that-"

"I doubt Lovegood had much to worry about," Snape replied, darkly, "The man seems to have gone into hiding right after the paper was published. His house in completely abandoned, everything packed up, and no trace of his whereabouts."

Dumbledore looked curious, "Have the Death Eaters gotten him?"

Severus shook his head, "No doubt Potter arranged this. He considers the Lovegood girls one of his closest friends after all."

"Very well," Dumbledore sighed, adopting his signature kind smile, "I have much to consider Severus. Would you mind showing yourself out?"

Severus shook his head, "Have a good day Headmaster." As the younger man left, Fawkes jumped from his perch and winged out the door toward the Forbidden Forest, leaving a very angry Albus Dumbledore and very troubled Potions Master in his wake.

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"HOW DARE HE!" Molly Weasley shrieked, her rather impressive lungs making her two children wince. Hermione, who had guessed her response to the newspaper the girl had handed her, covered her ears beforehand. The action was certainly saving her from quite a few doctor bills in the future.

"What does it say?" Ginny demanded, eyes narrowed in distaste at the Quibbler.

Molly, clearly struggling to keep herself from shouting curses, just handed her daughter the paper rather than risk opening her mouth. Ginny didn't even need to read the paper before her blood boiled.

At the front of the infamous paper was a full color picture of a grinning Harry Potter, with his arms wrapped around a beautiful young lady, a blonde-haired boy standing beside them. The powerful Lord wasn't wearing any glasses, and his gorgeous emerald eyes were brighter than ever. The new Lady Potter was wearing a pair of stunning silvery-blue dress robes; a look of complete bliss shown on her face. The boy was undoubtedly a mixture of the two, with his father's green eyes and his mother's golden hair.

Hermione quickly decided, that, to keep up appearances, she should say something. So,"They got married?" Hermione said, trying to appear like she was distressed as she quickly scanned the article again, "But he's not even seventeen-"

"It doesn't matter," Ginny bit out, her face an unattractive shade of puce, "He's the last Lord of the Potter Family. He needs to marry to further his line. But," and here her face took on an ugly sneer, "why he would allow a half-breed to masquerade as his heir I have no idea."

"He can't marry her!" Ron scowled, just getting the gist of the conversation as he looked up from ogling his ex-best mate's wife, "No one will allow a vampire to be the future Potter Lady-

"Don't be stupid," Molly, snapped, "It doesn't matter what anyone wants. The law protects any magical bonding, especially for all the powerful lineages. Every Pureblood family has some magical creature blood a few generations back. We're related to a couple of banshees."

Hermione couldn't help but think that made a lot of sense somehow. The three Weasleys were always yelling and arguing.

"It's not fair!" Ginny suddenly wailed, "It was me Harry was supposed to marry! I was supposed to bear him a son! Not… not… not that tart!"

And the Weasley's fell into a squabble again, not noticing Hermione quickly slipping away to send a letter to Harry and a pair of redheaded twins watching from the doorway. Nor did they know when the twins left and also quickly penned a letter to a certain Potter family. In all honesty, they don't seem to notice much.

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"So this is the latest Lady Potter," Remus chuckled, a tumbler of Meade in his hands. The werewolf was currently in a bar, with a few other men sitting nearby him. After a long, grueling fight with Greyback, Remus had emerged the winner, even with a fair share of injuries taken. After the battle, he had offered all the wolves there the opportunity to leave, and while a few did, most of them elected to stay with their new pack leader.

The werewolves were shocked at the changes that spanned a week after their acceptance. Not only was their new pack leader a powerful wolf, he was apparently also friends with influential figures in the Wizarding world and a kind man. They didn't believe him at first when he said that Harry Potter- yes, the Harry Potter- was his honorary godson.

At least, they didn't believe him until they moved into one of the Potter properties Harry had allowed Remus to use. It was a huge stone building in a spacious, discreet meadow, with more than enough room for all his pack members and wide hunting grounds for them to feed from. Best of all, it was secluded in the middle of nowhere and was already stocked with a huge supply of wolfsbane for Remus to utilize whenever necessary.

And they haven't even heard of their leader's new job yet.

"I seriously have to figure out how these Potter men do it," Remus told his second-in-command, a gray haired man by the name of Mathis, "First Charles snatches the elegant beauty, Dora Black, then James nabs the vivacious loveliness that is Lily Evans, and now, Harry gets the exquisite brilliance of a vampire princess? It's just not fair."

"You have to admit though," Mathis grins, "They certainly put in the effort for it."

"True," Remus snickered and added, "Dora wouldn't give Charles the time of day, Lily wanted to strangle James half the time, and now Harry has to deal with a Dark Lord and be a father at the same time."

Mathis nods somberly, "On the up side, she really is pretty."

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"Lucius!" Voldemort hissed, making his unofficial right hand man shudder in fear, "I have read a very interesting article today Lucius. Tell me, why was I not informed of Potter's newest acquisition and defection from the Light?"

Said Death Eater trembled as he stepped away from the small Inner Circle bowing before their Lord, and toward his Master. The other members didn't move a muscle even as they felt a mixture of vindictive glee and hidden sympathy for the arrogant man who was about to suffer their Lord's displeasure.

"I did not think the information was wholly relative in your current… condition," Lucius said carefully, trying not to allude to his Lord's temporary setback a few days ago when he fell over from overwhelming pain in front of him and Bellatrix. They had no idea what caused Voldemort's pain and had to call a Healer to arrange for their Lord's healing. The Healer was promptly… disposed of, naturally; no need to have any potential weaknesses exploited by the oh-so-forgiving Light.

This, of course, was not the whole truth for how could Lucius explain that he was trying to hide this until he could think of a better explanation? He was already a near laughing stock because of his wife leaving him; imagine how he would be if it got out that not only did Draco leave him, the insufferable boy went on to become an ally of Potters!

"I do not allow you to think!" Voldemort roared, furious, "Crucio!" The man's knees instantly buckled as he fell to the ground, iron hot pokers seeming to be pressed into every nerve ending in his body. A scream left his lips, leaving his practically convulsing on the floor as he tried to regain control of his breath. Voldemort allowed the torture for another minute before he finally released it, a cold look in his scarlet eyes.

"I will allow you to live Lucius," the Dark Lord/ Supreme Prima Donna, allowed, "But know this: Just one more failure and you shall be Nagini's next meal."

"Y-yes m-my Lord," Lucius trembled, terrified eyes showing nearly all whites as he crawled forward to kiss the hem of his Master's robe, "Th-thank you. You are too kind. I shall not fail you again."

"See to that then," Voldemort hissed, placing a deliberately cruel kick to throw Lucius from the dais, "Now Luciussss…. Tell me what has happened."

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"Someone seems to be in a happy mood today," Serena teased, as she leaned down to place a kiss on her husband's cheek, "May I know why?"

Harry looked up, grinning when he saw her, "I just sent out that letter to Severus, hopefully he'll decide to join our war effort."

"I hope he does," Serena smiled, taking a seat next to him in their living room, "How is your training?"

Harry winced, "Painful. Even the Occlumency; I never knew I could get so tired after doing relaxation exercises. Luckily, I seem to have a talent for a lot of these areas and it's kind of cool being able to grasp a new technique so quickly. Sword fighting seems to come as naturally as flying actually."

Serena hummed in agreement and asked, "Have you used Excalibur yet?"

"I'm not allowed until I master the basics," Harry pouted, "Personally I just think Jakarta's doing this to me so he could continue worshipping the sword."

"Cut the guy a little slack," Serena laughed, "To him, Arthur's sword, Excalibur, is the equivalent of Merlin's staff for you wizards. Besides I'm sure he can't wait see the King's heir try to hack at the training dummies with the legendary sword."

"Your right," Harry answered, "As always I suppose. Have you seen the newspaper lately?"

"No," Serena frowned, "Why?"

"The Quibbler did an expose on our wedding," Harry answered cheerfully, "According to popular opinion; I'm not the only one to think that you're stunning. I'm almost afraid to let you get out of the castle now for fear that some man would try to make you their own."

"They'll have a hopeless time of it then," Serena smiled, her face a bright red as she leaned in to kiss him, "Because I have you and no one can ever hope to be as good."


	14. Author's note

Hey Guys,

I have finally started to write my first new chapter for this story. It is going to be a little bit different, and the writing style may be a little different, such as more scenes in a chapter. I hope my writing meets your expectations and if so, please review! Also, I have a poll on my page on what the next chapter (2nd one I write) will be about. Please vote! If I get enough favs and follows, I will continue another story from a different writer that is on hiatus, not sure which one yet. On another note, the next chapter will be named... Friends, Allies, and Families. Also, I'm redeeming Hermione, because I just like her. Last but not least, an excerpt of the new chapter! It is down, below the AN, so please let me know what you think!

Thanks,

Michael

An excerpt-

_**Potter Castle**_

"Harry was bored. He'd completed his lessons for the day and couldn't find Serena when he portkeyed back to the manor. Where was she? Ah, well. He could always go look for Neville or Luna. When he entered the living room, he saw three owls on the horizon outside. The owls each flew up and stuck out their legs. One letter from the Weasel, a package from the she-Weasel, a letter from Hermione, a letter from... the twins?, and a letter with the Hogwarts crest on it."


	15. Friends, Families, and Plans

Chapter 14- Friends, families, and Plans

**A/N- This is my first chapter. It turned out a lot different than I expected. Please Follow, Fav, and Review!**

**Disclaimer- Would a middle schooler own Harry Potter?**

Potter Manor, the Master Suite

Serena was thinking. Today was July 24th and there was only a week until Harry's birthday. What should she do for him? Give him a present? Take him out somewhere? Suddenly, she knew what she was going to do. Hold him a huge party! She would do a little digging, maybe ask him about what friends he might have. She would also talk to Draco and ask him about Hogwarts. See if he had any friends there. What was that group he led that year? Oh yes, the DA. She would invite them too, when she found out who they were. Definitely nobody affiliated with Dumbledore in any way, except those she could trust, like Lupin. She would make this the best birthday Harry ever had. She needed to get working if she was to finish the preparations in time.

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Harry was bored. He'd completed his lessons for the day and couldn't find Serena when he portkeyed back to the manor. Where was she? Ah, well. He could always go look for Neville or Luna. When he entered the living room, he saw three owls on the horizon outside. The owls each flew up and stuck out their legs. One letter from the Weasel, a package from the she-Weasel, a letter from Hermione, a letter from... the twins?, and a letter with the Hogwarts crest on it. Who from Hogwarts would be owling him? Probably a letter from Dumbledork about the Quibbler article or his O.W.L. Results. Lets see, which one first? OWLS first, so he wouldn't get too angry. He slit the seal and read the letter inside.

_Dear Mr. Potter-_

_ Enclosed are the results from your O.W.L. Exams. Along with the results are a list of classes that you are qualified to take next term. You can choose however many you want, and owl the classes you want to take back. Choose your classes wisely, as this will determine your future._

_Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress_

_Harry James Potter has achieved:_

_Astronomy A  
Care of Magical Creatures O  
Charms O  
Defense Against the Dark Arts O+  
Divination P  
Herbology E  
History of Magic D  
Potions O_

_Transfiguration O_

_ Congratulations, Mr. Potter. You have achieved Outstanding with Honors in DADA and scored 1st in the British Isles._

_-Griselda Marchbanks_

Harry was stunned. He did that well in DADA? Well, it was sort of expected, considering the substandard teaching and his leadership if the DA. Still, it was suprising. Also, it was stunning that he actually got an Outstanding in Potions. He knew he didn't do that well. He smelled Dumbledore's fingers all over this. He'd have to investigate. He quickly ticked off the boxes beside the courses he intended to take. He could become an Auror after all! Though, much of the job had lost its appeal, now that he had a family. Maybe, maybe not. He would decide when he got there, in two years. He also scribbled off another note:

_Professor McGonagall-_

_ My wife and son will be living inside the castle for the coming year. If it is possible, my wife will also enroll in sixth year. Please arrange this with Dumbledore and contact me with the details. Also, tell him he will have no more control over me and that if he tries to manipulate me or deny my wife and son accommodations, he will quickly find himself fired._

_Regards,_

_Harry Potter_

Good. Short and to the point. He wondered what Dumbledore would think. Probably be furious. Well, he could be angry. If he tried to interfere in his life, he'd find himself fired before he could say "It was for the greater good". Next, the letter from the Weasel.

_Hey mate,_

_ Why did you get married? And to a whore, too? Plus, since when did you have a Malfoy for a son? Why didn't you tell me before we saw it in the Quibbler? We are best friends after all, even after that little argument in Gringotts. Why didn't you marry Ginny instead? Surely she's better than that vampire half-breed?_

_ Listen, why don't you come to the Burrow? We can have some free time without the know-it-all around. She left this morning after breakfast for a vacation with her muggle parents. Honestly, who would give up the Burrow for a Muggle vacation? When you're here, we can maybe play a little Quidditch? Or some Chess?_

_ Let me know when you can ditch the bitch and the little brat. We'll come pick you up._

_Your mate,_

_Ron_

HOW DARE HE INSULT SERENA AND DAMIEN? Well, that was expected, assuming Ron and the others had seen the Quibbler. The rest of the letter was amusing to no end. It appeared that Ron still considered himself to be his mate, even after the will reading. As to his son being a Malfoy, at least he was smart enough to see the similarities to Drake. Next letter. News from Hermione. This should be informative.

_Dear Harry,_

_ WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU GOT MARRIED? Why didn't you tell us before it hit the news? Plus, why aren't you replying to any of my letters? I've been sending you letters all summer, yet you never reply! By the way, why are you married to a vampire of all things? They're supposed to be a dark creature. I will admit she was pretty though. And since when did you have a son? He looked at least 7, though I know you couldn't have had him with that girl. You're much too young for that._

_ On other news, why do you never think of others? Dumbledore is outraged at you for shoving him to the side like that, and is trying to get you to come to the Burrow. Please, Harry, come! You'll be safe here! If you don't, at least swear me a **Marauder's oath** to me that you'll be safe._

_Lots of love,_

_Hermione_

_Quite Devious,_ he thought.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.", he whispered. Quickly the letters started rearranging themselves.

_Harry, _

_ Obviously you cracked the code. Quite cunning, don't you think? Maybe I was meant to be in Slytherin, if not for all the prejudice in that house. _

_ Anyways, to business. I have joined the Order, on a trial basis. I'm doing research with Remus. We have several allies in the order. Our group is consisted of Remus, myself, Mad-Eye, the Tonks', the Twins, Arthur, Bill, and Charlie. We approached Arthur, Bill and Charlie yesterday, and they are now loyal to you. We have made plans. Me, Remus, and the Tonks' will escape tonight. The rest will spy on the Order. We will escape at six and arrive at seven. We will be taking a combination of twenty portkeys, Apparation, and Floo. A lot, I know, but it is the only way to escape without a trace. We will be in time for dinner, expect us. Fred and George might also be coming with Moody and the elder Weasleys. We'll talk later._

_Love,_

_Hermione_

Interesting. Hermione was truly as Slytherin as he was. He quickly penned a letter back.

_Hermione,_

_Sending you a portkey with Hedwig. Can't talk unless in person. Might be intercepted. Talk later tonight._

_Harry_

He sealed the letter and tied it around Hedwig's leg. He then made a portkey to the entrance hall out of a necklace and put it with the letter.

"Hey, girl, deliver this to Hermione where she is right now.", he asked.

"Hoot!" was Hedwig's response. She flew out the window and off into the distance. He then pointed his wand at the package and levitated it out the window.

"_Bombarda_!" he incanted. The package blew up in midair. No taking chances that there could be a curse or hex in the package. After all, it was from the she-weasel. Remains of bats spilled out. Ah. Seems it was the Bat-Bogey hex. He vanished the remains, then turned to the twins' letter.

Harrykins,

This letter might be intercepted, so we can't say anything in this letter. We are coming tonight at six, with a few others. Please arrange it, then tell us where and when or send a portkey.

Pranks forever,

Gred & Forge

Typical Fred and George. Joking around in a serious letter. Now, onto the actual request. Of course he would talk to them, they were on his side. He just needed to set it up. He quickly made a portkey to the Marauder's Den, a secret room in the basement next to the Muggle entertainment center. He figured they would like the chance to look around the Marauder's former headquarters during the summers. He penned another letter-

F&G-

Enclosed is a portkey for you guys tonight at six. It will activate promptly on time, and will only work for you and the other four. I will pick you up from the room you land in at six thirty, so you can look around. Feel free to look anywhere and everywhere.

See you later,

Harry

He quickly sent the letter off with the owl that came with it, then closed the window with a sigh. So much had changed in five minutes. Well, if you counted his plans for the day to be big.

"Dobby!", he called

"Master Harry needs Dobby, sir?", Dobby said, appearing in front of him with a crack.

"You're English is getting better", approved Harry

"Thank you Master Harry sir!", Dobby exclaimed.

"Anyways, can you inform Serena, Draco, Neville, and Luna that we have eleven guests for dinner and to come up in three hours?", Harry asked. It was three thirty now, so three hours would be just enough.

"Yes Master Harry sir!" Dobby popped away.

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_Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, 5:30_

The store had just closed and Fred was taking inventory. He walked around the store, checking the shelves. They made a huge profit today, like always. Who knew they would become so rich? It was another reason to throw in Mum's face when she told them off for ditching Hogwarts in seventh year.

"Oi! Fred!", George called from the office in the back. "Hurry up, we only have half an hour before we have to go!"

"Coming!" Honestly, half an hour was forever compared to the usual amount of time they had. Today, though, was special. They were having a meeting, so they had to prepare early.

_5:55_

They had finished preparing and were waiting for the others. There was a knock at the door and he heard Mad-Eye's voice mutter, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good". The door opened and Mad-Eye, Bill, Charlie, and Dad came through.

"Ready?", Mad-Eye asked.

"Ready", everyone chorused. They all held on the portkey and waited. At exactly six, there was a flash of blue light and they all disappeared.

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They landed in a dimly lit room. As soon as they landed, fireworks went off and a sign popped out showing, "Welcome to the Marauder's Den!"

"Cool! We're in the Marauder's lair!", Fred and George both gasped. Quickly, they began running around while the others sat on one of the sofas and looked on, amused.

"Is this their prank stash?"

"Are these their journals?"

"Is this- GEORGE, COME NOW!" George hurried over and they looked at the two items in awe. The others, except Arthur, were confused. They were holding a blank packet of parchment and a journal.

"What are they?", Mad-Eye asked.

"These are the Marauders' greatest secrets. The Marauder's Handbook and the Marauder's Map Mark II."

Fred quickly muttered the oath to reveal the map and journal and looked at both. These were the newest Marauder's Map and the Marauder's Journal, both made in 1972! Sure that was old, but it was still the newest edition!

"Fred, look at this.", George whispered. He pointed at the inscription on the map.

MSSRS. MOONY, WORMTAIL, PADFOOT, PRONGS, GEMINI I, AND GEMINI II

AND MISS LILYFLOWER

PROUDLY PRESENT

THE MARAUDER'S MAP MARK II

"Well, that's new; there's two new Marauders.", Fred commented. Mr. Weasley, smiling, spoke up.

"Fred, did you know that you had two uncles named Fabian and Gideon Prewett? They were your mum's younger brothers by about seven years.", Mr. Weasley supplied.

"Really? Are they the new marauders?", both twins gasped.

"Yes, they were honorary Marauders, primarily because they were exactly like you two.", Mr. Weasley told them.

Fred asked, "Why didn't you tell us about them before now?"

Mr. Weasley smiled sadly. "Molly, who is selfish and greedy, unlike the Prewett twins, forbade me from telling you about her family."

Bill then asked, "Why did you say that Mum is greedy and selfish?"

Moody then interjected,"Perhaps I can explain that better, as I know more about it than Arthur."

Mr. Weasley agreed. "Mad-Eye can explain better, as he was there for more of it."

Mad Eye then started. "Thanks Arthur. Now, some background before the real story. I had a wife, Anne, and daughter, Christina. Yes, you're surprised, I know. That was before I was disfigured and lost my leg. They were killed in the first war. But that's not the point. The point is, my daughter, who was a little younger than the Marauders, was engaged. Who was she engaged to? Gideon Prewett, one of the Prewett twins Arthur just mentioned. Pranksters, just like yourself. Gideon confided in my daughter that his younger sister Molly was devious and cunning, and she was also greedy, just like her Aunt Muriel. Of course, Gideon suspected that Molly married Arthur to get at the Weasley money and assets. We now know that to be true. The Weasley money all disappeared back in 1978, and the Weasley and Prewett family rings, which should go to Arthur, disappeared back in the 1700s, since House Potter absorbed House Prewett, Weasley, Moody, and a number of other houses to protect them during the Dark Ages. You need the rings to claim the Lordship, the Manor, and the Wizengamot seats.. Arthur and I are going to ask Lord Potter about it, history says that, when the time is right, the absorbed families will get their Noble status back. Anyways, that's not the point. The point is that the Prewett and Weasley money all vanished. When Arthur gets the rings, he can claim the money back and expel Molly, Ginny, and Ron from the Weasley family."

Arthur then added, "I'll then regain control of all assets and vaults. The vaults most likely gained a lot of interest over the years, so I'm going to give you each some money. Call it your 'allowance', if you will. I'm also going to finally treat us all to a long-deserved vacation in one of our family vacation houses, if we have one. After all that, I'll move us out of the Burrow and into Weasley Manor, after we upgrade it. I'll also claim my seats on the Wizengamot and finally improve our family's reputation. Finally, I wouldn't be surprised if I got a promotion out of claiming the family rings. You usually need to be a Head of House to get a high position in the Ministry."

"All that will happen, in due time. I'll also offer an alliance between our houses when you've done all that.", Harry said from the doorway, where he had been standing for the last minute. "For now, let's get up to dinner and discuss business. Fred, George, please leave everything here."

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After a large and very filling dinner, the seventeen people trooped down to the meeting room in the basement and sat down at the table. "Now, to business.", Harry said, sitting at the head of the table. "First, reports. What is Dumbledore doing?"

Mad-Eye answered. "I'm still Dumbledore's most trusted lieutenant, along with Snape, Remus, and McGonagall. McGonagall handles the administrative duties, Snape is spying on Voldemort, Remus does Research, and I'm the Intelligence and Fighting divisions. We may have Snape on our side, and we still have to make contact with McGonagall. We're contacting other high-up Order members, and a lot of them may be on your side. Hermione, the Tonks', and Remus will be staying here, since they're the most vulnerable. Dumbledore trusts me and the Weasleys, so Bill and Arthur will try to get the Research spots once Dumbledore discovers Hermione and Remus' defections.

Moody continued. "We know that they will get the post quite easily, as I will recommend them to Dumbledore for the post. Once in the spots, they'll sabotage the research and pass on info to us. That way, the Order will be thrown off and we'll be ready to take them down. You're doing lessons, right, Harry?"

Harry answered, "All of us are, but I'm doing the most. Sword fighting, Vampire magic, stuff like that. By the time we're done, all of us will be able to hold our own against Moldyshorts."

Someone interjected, "What about Hermione, Remus, and Tonks?"

Harry sighed. "They'll be put on intense training until they catch up to us. They'll use a time-turner to train and they'll be caught up within a week or so. Hermione and Remus will also receive Intelligence training, being a spy, all that. They are our intelligence group. You guys that are still spying will receive the same training. How to be a spy, Occlumency, Legilimency, stealth, stuff like that. You will also be given a mirror for communication. Obviously connected to everyone else's mirrors. By the way, Hermione, who do you want to spy on? Personally, I'd want you to go back to the Order, but it would also be useful to have another Death Eater spy."

Hermione looked thoughtful. "I think I'd make a good spy, Harry. I know a lot about spying. I don't think I will want to go back to the Order, since Ron is trying to feel up me all the time, but I also can't spy on Voldemort as I'm muggleborn and Voldemort knows me all to well as your friend."

Harry smiled evilly. "Who said anything about keeping your present identity? We could change your features, make you look like someone else entirely. It's called plastic surgery. We could make you one of the Black family, such as Regulus' daughter or Sirius' daughter. Foolproof!"

Hermione scowled. "While I would like to be a double agent, I don't want to go back to the Order and I don't have the ability to do Dark Arts stuff. Also, I don't want to kill, torture, and rape people just to keep my cover."

Harry just nodded. "Think over it. We'll need you to start training soon, and several parts of your training depend on your choice. You're born to be a spy, but if you don't want to, you could also be the resident Researcher or something like that. It would be boring, since Remus is already going to do most of the research."

The rest of the meeting passed with Harry assigning everyone roles or jobs. Serena and Draco were politics and public relations, Luna and Neville were something akin to Aurors, Remus was research, Tonks was Auror training, Andromeda was Pureblood customs and traditions, and, suprisingly, espionage, Ted Tonks was martial arts and Muggle fighting, Arthur and Bill were spies in the Order, Mad-Eye was their Master Auror and Spymaster, Hermione was a spy, and Fred and George were the R&D department and inventions.

"Now that the primary task is over, what should we call ourselves?", Harry asked. "We need a group name."

"The White Phoenix?", Moody suggested.

"Potter's Army?", Fred suggested, much to everyones amusement.

"Lunem?", Remus suggested.

"All right! Let's have a vote.", Harry said "All for The White Phoenix?" About half raised their hands. "Al for Potter's Army?" Fred and George raised their hands. "All for Lunem?" Almost everyone raised their hands.

"All right! The first official meeting of Lunem is adjourned. Good night, everyone. Could the Weasleys and Alastor stay?" Arthur and Moody came up with a knowing smile.

"In my role as head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, I hereby reinstate the House of Weasley, the House of Prewett, and the House of Moody into their proper role as Noble and Ancient Houses. Your houses shall henceforth be known as the Noble and Ancient houses of Weasley, Prewett, and Moody. Do you accept my reinstatement, my vassals?

"We accept", both said.

"SO MOTE IT BE, SO MOTE IT BE, SO MOTE IT BE!", Harry intoned as he gave the Weasley, Prewett, and Moody rings to Arthur and Alastor, who slid them onto their fingers. A flash of light signified the ring's activation.

Arthur first intoned, " I, Arthur Weasley, Head of the Noble and Ancient Houses of Weasley and Prewett, hereby banish Ginerva Molly Weasley, Ronald Bilius Weasley, and Molly Prewett Weasley from the Houses of Prewett and Weasley. So mote it be!

Arthur then intoned, "I, Arthur Weasley, Head of the Noble and Ancient Houses of Weasley and Prewett, hereby call back any illegal stolen money back to the Family Vaults. So mote it be!"

There was a flash of light, and it was assumed that the stolen money was returned to the vaults. To be safe, Moody and Harry both did the same. Harry knew that more than a few galleons had left Dumbledore, Ron, and Ginny's secret vaults for his own. Arthur and Moody thanked him profusely, then left for Grimmauld Place. They would have to deal with the alliances the next time they met, since they were late for an Order wondered how Arthur would deal with Dumbledore when he found out about the money and kicking those three out of the family.

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Dumbledore was working when an owl seooped in the windlw with a red letter with the Gringotts Seal. This was not good. The Goblins only used a red envelope when someone's vaults were confiscated or they were being charged with a serious crime. He slowly slit the envelope and red the contents.

_**Dear Mr. Dumbledore,**_

_**We at Gringotts would like to inform you that you are being charged with Line Theft and Will Fraud. We have discovered that you have stolen about a billion Galleons, various priceless artifacts, numerous books and large tomes, a number of Grimoires, numerous personal posessions, and a number of paintings from various vaults. We have now confiscated all of these items and returned them to the owners with a large sum of interest. You did not have enough in liquid assets to pay bac the debt, so we have taken the liberty of liquidating your assets and properties and confiscating all of your vaults. Your seats on the Wizengamot and vaults have been handed over to the houses mentioned below, as have the Fudge, Malfoy, and the Lestrange seats. The other seats and vaults confiscated by the Ministry (McNair, Rookwood, Jugson, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Dolohov, Avery, Mulciber) have gone to families of victims in the First War including the Longbottoms, the Lovegoods, the Weasleys, the Prewetts, the Bones, the Dagworth-Grangers, the McKimmons (inherited by Longbottom), and the Fenwicks (now Flitwick) Even after the liquidation of your entire estate, you still owe the following to the following families:**_

_**1,946,264 Galleons, 4,385 Sickles, and 6,375 Knuts to the House of Potter**_

_**1,856,365 Galleons, 5,384 Sickles, and 5,285 Knuts to the House of Black**_

_**1,057,472 Galleons, 3,593 Sickles, and 3,573 Knuts to the House of Gryffindor**_

_**1,057,573 Galleons, 3,164 Sickles, and 4,377 Knuts to the House of Ravenclaw**_

_**5,384 Galleons, 6,338 Sickles, and 3,593 Knuts to the House of Deasmond**_

_**Total- 5,923,058 Galleons, 22,864 Sickles, and 23,203 Knuts**_

_**If you do not pay back these debts by next week, you will be stripped of your titles, fired as Headmaster of Hogwarts, and taken to the Ministry and charged with:  
1. Three counts of Line Theft from an Noble and Most Ancient House,  
2. Two counts of Line Theft from a Most Noble and Most Ancient House,  
3. Will Tampering,  
4. Will Fraud,  
5. Failure in duties as a Magical Guardian of a scion of a Noble and Most Ancient House,  
6. Illegally appointing of yourself to said position,  
7. Failure in duties as Chief Warlock,  
8. Failure in Duties as Headmaster of Hogwarts,  
9. Being the leader of a vigilante organization,  
10. Two Hundred and Seventy Three Counts of Bribery of High-Level Officials, such as Cornelius Fudge.**_

_**I can almost garuntee that you will not be able to pay off the debts. I would advise you to get a good lawyer, but as you are broke, oh, well. By the way, we have evidence of all these crimes, and many more, so if I were you, I would resign from all my positions before I was disgraced and my name dragged through the mud. My client looks forward to your trial. **_

_**Have a nice day! (or maybe not)**_

_**Griphook**_

_**Account Manager for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter**_

_**Account Manager for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black**_

_**Account Manager for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Deasmond**_

_**Account Manager for the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Gryffindor**_

_**Account Manager for the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Ravenclaw**_

_**Account Manager for the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin**_

_**Account Manager for the Most Noble and Most Ancient Founding House of Hogwarts**_

_**Board Member, PC Corp.**_

This was not good. Potter and the Goblins had backed him into a corner. It also appeared that he had the new minister, Amelia Bones, in his pocket. He had no way to get out of this. All his plans were ruined. All because of Potter! It appeared that Potter was in control of seven of the most powerful houses in Britain, and even the world. Everywhere in Britain, his word was practially law. And, if he gained a few more powerful allies, like Bones, Greengrass, or Longbottom, they would tell him about the Council, the body of founding houses that was even more powerful than the Wizengamot and that even the Goblins did not know about. He would have to call a Wizengamot meeting early, since Potter was in control of four of the six Founding Houses, the others being Ambrosius and Hufflepuff. He suspected that the Hufflepuff heir was Granger, who had just deserted him for Potter. The Merlin heir was lost, thank goodness. If all six were together, they could take down the Ministry and put back the Council as the Ultimate Power of Wizarding Britain. That would not do. He had to reschedule the Wizengamot meeting and try to get the majority of the Wizengamot on his side. It would be hard, but possibly could work. He frantiocally got to work trying to revive his plan, for the Greater Good of course.

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Ron Weasley was angry. He had gotten his mum to put more than a hundred love charms, lust charms, loyalty charms, memory charms, and compulsion charms on his and Ginny's letters and they had not worked. He needed to work his way back into Potter's good graces so he could become rich and famous like Potter and Ginny could kill the slut and marry Potter. All Potter had replied with was to send him a letter saying that he knew. What did he know? That Ron was jealous of the prat? Maybe. But the thought never crossed his mind that he knew about the money he and Ginny had stolen or the illegal things they had done until he and Ginny had gotten letters from Gringotts.

_**Dear Mr./Ms. Ronald/Ginerva Weasley,**_

_**We regret to inform you that you have been discovered committing Line Theft from a Noble and Most Ancient House. This has led to your rather large vault being confiscated with interest and, since the money in your vault was not enough, you now owe a sum of 10,000 Galleons to the House of Potter. If you do not pay back the debt in full by next week, you will be taken to the Wizengamot and charged with things including:**_

_**Line Theft from a Noble and Most Ancient House**_

_**Illegal use of multiple love potions**_

_**Illegal use of multiple lust potions**_

_**Illegal use of multiple loyalty spells and potions**_

_**If you are convicted, you face sentences in Azbakan, since you will not be persecuted as minors, you will ne persecuted as adults. By the way, do not go to Dumbledore crying, since he has received the same letter but with much more serious charges involved. My client wishes you luck.**_

_**Have a good day!**_

_**Griphook**_

_**Account Manager for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter**_

_**Account Manager for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black**_

_**Account Manager for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Deasmond**_

_**Account Manager for the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Gryffindor**_

_**Account Manager for the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Ravenclaw**_

_**Account Manager for the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin**_

_**Account Manager for the Most Noble and Most Ancient Founding House of Hogwarts**_

_**Board Member, PC Corp.**_

Even though Ron was known for being thick, he could understand what this meant. That git Potter knew about hin stealing his money, and decided to play payback. He wasn't stupid. He knew about the Ancient and Noble houses, because his dad had taught him some do he wasn't so rude. He didn't use any of it, of course, except the fact that their house was an Ancient and Noble House. However, his dad also told him that they were vassals of Potter's house. So what? It wasn't like, slavery to his house. All they had to do was be good, and Potter would be happy. Until now. Well, could borrow some money from mum's stash to pay it off, he thought. Except it turned out that his mom had received the same thing. As he and Ginny were complaining to everyone in the kitchen eating breakfast, which was most of the Order, several owls flew in. He opened the letter from Gringotts. He just knew it was the letter forgiving their debts because Dumbledore made them. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

_**Ronald Bilius, Ginerva Molly, and Molly Weasley,**_

_**You are hereby disowned from the Noble and Ancient Houses of Weasley and Prewitt due to blatant violation of Family Law. Gringotts and the Ministry have both recorded and verified this. You three shall now be known as Ronald Bilius, Ginerva Molly, and Molly No-name.**_

_**May your gold flow into your vaults,**_

_**Clawscratch**_

Head of Inheritance, Gringotts\

As the three disowned Weasleys red it, they fainted, much to the Order's amusement. Bill went over and red the letter and grinned.

"These three have been kicked out of the Weasley and Prewett Families, which Father is head of, and Charlie and I am the heir to, because of blatant violation of our old family law."

Needless to say, this caused quite an uproar.

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That day, people all over the county received a letter. The letters were all the same.

Dear (name of guest)

You are invited to Harry Potter's birthday celebration on July 31st at 8:00 AM. Dress is semi-formal. Bring a gift, but not too much of a gift. Please send a note by return owl with confirmation that you are coming. It will help our planning a lot.

Sincerely,

Lady Serena Potter

* * *

A/N- Please Review and let me know how you liked all the new information and twists in the story! I have decided on what the next few chapters will be about. BTW, take the new poll on my profile, otherwise I'll do something you may not like in the story!


	16. Diagon Alley and more on Potter Corp

_A/N- I'm sorry if my writing was mediocre, this is my first time writing Fanfiction! Plus, if you did not read my version of the earlier chapters, please do so. There are some changes pertaining to Hermione. I apologize if I have "ruined the story" by changing a character, but I am making some changes to better suit my needs and writing style. Everyone has a unique writing style, thus, I have to make the changes. A lot will happen in this chapter. Wizengamot prep, Potter Corp., meeting with Snape, and some good old Dumbledore and Weasley bashing. _

_A/N 2- I'm sorry if my updates have been irregular, but I've had a bad case of the flu and a TD virus these past three days and therefore could not write anything._

_A/N 3- I have used a lot of things from various stories, including A New Order and a few others that I can't be bothered to search for. Also, I have made the Prewett twins Marauders instead of Arthur in Ch. 15. You'll find out why later._

_Questions concerning-_

_Hermione- I had to change her to fit my plot and to make it easier to write._

_Serena- Yes, I unintentionally made her a minor character, but she will have a little more dialogue in this chapter. I may make her a more major character in a few chapters, along with Neville and Luna. I just didn't plan for them until next chapter._

_Poll- I am writing the chapters in the order of the poll._

_Writing style- If you don't like my style, **don't read this story**._

_**DISCLAIMER-I do not own Harry Potter**._

Chapter 15- Diagon Alley and more on Potter Corporation

_Dear Lord Potter,_

_Your presence is required at the next Wizengamot meeting on July the 27th. You will need to claim your Wizengamot seats, but after that, you may appoint proxies for the seats at your leisure. After that, you will only have to attend one meeting per year to reappoint your proxy._

_Sincerely,_

_Griselda Marchbanks, Wizengamot Elder_

"I can't believe it.", Harry groaned, holding the letter up. "I have to go to the next Wizengamot meeting?"

"Unfortunately, yes.", Draco smirked, trying to contain his amusement.

"Why can't I just send you as a proxy?", Harry asked.

"It says here that you have to go to the secession to appoint a proxy. I suggest attending the July and August meetings and appointing a trustworthy adult to the seats after that.", Draco explained

"That's what I'll do then. By the way, do I need to buy Wizengamot robes or use my grandfather's?", Harry said.

"Since those robes are out of date and most likely too big, you'll need to get robes with your six house crests on them.", Draco told him

"Let's go to Madam Malkins later then, after lunch.", Harry said

"Also, we need to meet Griphook to get an update on Potter Corporation, and there's that meeting with Professor Snape at noon", Draco interjected.

Harry reluctantly agreed. "OK, we'll stop at Gringotts later too and be back in time to meet with Snape."

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Later that day, after lunch, Draco, Serena, Damien and Harry flooed into the Leaky Cauldron.

"OK, robes first.", Harry decided, walking towards Madam Malkin's store.

They walked into the store and waited for Madam Malkin. Finally, a few minutes later, she bustled into the front room. "What can I do for you, dears?" Madam Malkin asked.

"We need Wizengamot robes with these crests on them for the three of us.", Draco told her, handing her a paper with the six crests and pointing at Harry, Serena, and himself.

"Of course, dearies. Just step back here and I'll have you all set in no time.", Malkin said, pointing towards the back.

What followed was a torture section with Madam Malkin sticking pins all over their bodies. Harry suspected that she was enjoying herself making him strip and sticking pins everywhere, even places which he thought did not require measurement, like his ears and nose. Finally, an hour later, she finally had no excuse to keep them there and let them go with the promise that the robes would be done within an hour.

As they were walking out of the store, Serena said,"You two go to Gringotts and I'll go with Damien to get some books on politics and Pureblood traditions." They quickly agreed and Harry and Draco hurried towards Gringotts.

O0o0o0o0o0o0

As they entered Gringotts, the goblin guards bowed to them, getting lots of jealous and calculating looks from the other costumers.

"Which ones should we be afraid of? The calculating politicians or the jealous commoners?", Harry teased.

Unfortunately, Draco took his words extremely seriously. "The Pureblood politicians know bowing goblins means that you're extremely powerful or rich, or, in your case, both. They're going to try and get you on their side. The commoners are just jealous that you're getting special treatment."

Harry groaned. "Why does it always have to be me they stare at? Why not somebody else?"

Draco smirked, enjoying making Harry unhappy. "Because you may just be the most politically powerful and richest man in Wizarding Britain, if not Wizarding Europe since you're a vampire prince."

Harry just groaned and walked ahead of Draco to Griphook's private office.

O0o0o0o0o0o0

"How are you, my Lord Potter, Mr. Black?" Griphook waved them into his private office happily.

"We are fine, thank you.", Draco answered for them. "Now, to business. What new information do you have regarding Potter Corporation?"

"I have many pieces of good news, Mr. Black.", the goblin responded gleefully, waving his hand over the desk, making the files appear. "Please sit, as this will take quite a while."

Draco and Harry sat before Griphook's massive desk. "I assume, based on your tone, that the Corporation has been successful thus far?", Draco asked in a smug tone.

Griphook passed them several newspaper cutouts. "Read these and see for yourself before I give you the other details. These were released in the past few and today's edition of _Quibbler News Daily_, the newspaper division of the Quibbler Publishing Co. formed last week that took over the Daily Prophet and started circulation just four days ago." He finished the last part in a superior tone, leaving them in no doubt that he knew about the article that was the headline of the first issue.

Harry and Draco began reading the sheaf of articles one by one, often glancing at the headline to decide whether to read it.

_Daily Prophet Collapses due to Suing by Harry Potter for extreme libel!_

_Quibbler News Daily now Official Newspaper of Wizarding Britain!_

_Quibbler now known as Official Newspaper/Magazine of Harry Potter!_

_Mysterious Company buys out 90% of Wizarding Britain's Buisnesses!_

_Mysterious Company now found to be Potter Corporation!_

_Assets, Vaults of Dark Families Seized!_

_Only Holdouts to Potter's Takeover Mysteriously handed over to Potter!_

_Harry Potter is now Owner (literally) of Wizarding Britain!_

_Wizengamot Seats of Dark Families Confiscated by Ministry!_

_Numerous mysterious new companies started by Potter Corporation!_

_Harry Potter- How powerful is he?_

_How many Houses is Harry Potter Heir to?- An Investigation!_

_How Politically Powerful is Harry Potter?_

_Control of Wizarding Britain by Potter- Legal or Illegal?_

And on and on the headlines went. Finally, they put down the articles. "I have a pretty good idea of how much progress we've made", Harry grumbled. "I would like to learn about it a bit ahead of time the next time this happens."

"You think?", Draco exclaimed, "You control Wizarding Britain! I'm positive that people are spreading rumors about this already!"

"Now, now, gentlemen. Onto business. The Potter Corporation and the response to your takeover were our planned topics, were they not?", Griphook interjected.

"Of course", Harry asserted.

"Now, here are the companies and the percentages owned", Griphook told them, handing them a sheaf of paper.

_Potter Corporation Owned Businesses_

_Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes (50% owned) (Agreement with Weasley Twins)_

_Zonko's Joke Shop (Now owned by WWW)_

_Gambol and Japes Joke Shop (Now owned by WWW)_

_Madame Malkin's Robes and Fittings (80% owned)_

_Quality Quidditch Supplies (100% owned)_

_Flourish and Blotts (80% owned)_

_Potions Practitioners (100% owned)_

_Honeydukes (80% owned)_

_Borgin and Burkes (100% owned) (Store closed)_

_The Quibbler Newspaper (80% owned)_

_Jackson's Law Practice (100% owned)_

_Eclipse of the Heart Restaurant (80% owned)_

_Chudley Cannons (100% already owned)_

_Auror Materials Shop (100% owned)_

_Ollivander's Wands (80% owned)_

_Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor (80% Owned)_

_Magical Menagerie (100% owned)_

_The Leaky Cauldron (80% owned)_

_Various miscellaneous shops in Diagon Alley (99% with majority shares)_

_Various miscellaneous shops in Hogsmeade (98% with majority shares)_

_All shops in Knockturn Alley (Majority closed down)_

_75% of all supply companies in Wizarding Britain_

_**5% Gringotts Wizarding Bank****_

"Why are most of them eighty percent?", Harry asked, extremely confused. "Also, what is the agreement with Fred and George?"

"How do you keep the Dark families from getting rich?", Draco asked at the same time, seeing a problem. "What about Gringotts?"

"We let the original owner or proprietor keep up to fifty percent; suffice it to say, when they heard about your situation, they agreed to keep a minimal share until the war is over along with a final say in the decisions. The agreement with WWW, Inc. is that they get Zonkos and Gambol and Japes in exchange for a fifty percent share and an equal partnership." Griphook explained. "As for the Dark families, most of their assets and their stores in Knockturn Alley were confiscated and we acquired them for cheap prices and crushed most of them."

He continued. "As for the Gringotts ownership, due to your alliance with us, you own five percent, the same as any goblin on the Council, and that means you have a seat on the Council. I will be your proxy, since I am one of the few Account Managers with high enough prestige to stand in proxy for you. The five percent comes from the goblin in charge of the Dark Families accounts. His seat was given to you, along with the five percent. Congratulations, you are the first and only human to ever own a share of Gringotts and have a seat on the council.", Griphook finished off with glee.

Harry was gobsmacked. He just had to keep setting more records, didn't he?

Draco interrupted. "Now that we've gotten your Gringotts Council seat and your economical power straightened out, let's take a look at your new companies."

"Of course", Griphook said, moving right along. Harry was now convinced that his advisors were utterly insane. The glee in Draco and Griphook's voices was disturbing.

Griphook waved his hand over his desk and yet another stack of papers appeared. "These are the forms for the formation of the companies on this paper. Read it first, then I'll give you a few papers to sign." He handed a piece of parchment to Harry.

_Potter Corporation (PC) New Ventures_

_MagiCell: A new original PC business in which Muggle inventions can be made to be powered from magic instead of electricity._

_Potter Institution: A new although not original PC business to further magical academic learning past Hogwarts stage. Still in experimentation._

_Potter Flight Zone: A new, original PC business involving flying modes of transportation not involving brooms or flying carpets. Several types include the flying roller blades, flying motorcycle, flying car, hovercraft, and the hover board._

_Potter Equal Rights Organization: An original PC venture in which non wizards can be offered jobs, housing, counseling and medical care with little or no cost._

_Potter Security: A new company based on Muggle secrity companies. This company will provide security for homes and businesses that alerts highly trained security teams of Death Eater attacks, allowing them to respond and counter the attack._

_MagiTech- A new, though not original company involving developing new technology for Wizarding homes and businesses. Several planned products include magical versions of the TV, Computer, cell phone, laptop, camera, and many more._

Harry noticed several items that caught his attention. "Potter Security and MagiTech weren't here last time, were they? Other than that, I'm fine with these."

Griphook responded with a hint of pride, "My recent research into the Muggle world motivated me to add these. In addition, Knockturn Alley will soon be turned into a mall/department store and the stores in Diagon will be merged into the new store as departments or stores, but with the owners still running the respective departments/stores. The store will eventually be expanded all the way to the Muggle side of the Leaky Cauldron. Many other ventures are also being planned. The ones on the paper are just the few ready for startup. In fact, as soon as you sign, these ideas will become reality in less than a week."

Harry was even more surprised. His advisors were coming up with more and more ideas that would drag the Wizarding World kicking and screaming into the twentieth century. He wondered if their world could be ahead of the Muggle world in a few years.

"Now, you need to sign a few papers...", Griphook told him evilly, pushing a huge pile of parchment towards Harry. He groaned. He swore Griphook and Draco were evil, trying to get him to do horrible things like signing papers. But, he admitted, they were pure evil towards their enemies, so they were useful to have around.

O0o0o0o0o0o0

"Arthur, why did you feel the need to expel Ronald, Ginerva, and Molly from your family?", Dumbledore asked while probing his mind.

Arthur felt Dumbledore attacking his barriers and internally smirked. It paid to be a former Unspeakable. He had been one for ten years before he moved into the Muggle office. He knew how to project false thoughts to make it look like he had no barriers. He would have to remember to tell Harry about his Unspeakable training. But that was later.

He projected false thoughts towards Dumbledore and replied, "I had no control over it. The only way they would have been permanently expelled was if they violated Ancient Family Law. By the way, did you know I have two family vaults? It seemed that those three were kicked out for line theft and use of potions. I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do at this point."

Dumbledore frowned. He had not known about the family vaults, but the rest was things he knew. He began making plans to seize the vaults and use them for the Greater Good. He put on a grandfatherly look. Deception, of course. "Arthur, my friend, I need you to find a way to reinstate them into your family. Otherwise they will be viewed as lower than Squibs."

Arthur smirked. The old man really was so easy to fool. "I cannot, it is permanent. But even if I could, they violated sacred Family Law. That cannot go unpunished."

Dumbledore frowned. Arthur was loyal, but a pain. He could not blame him for this since it was not his fault. But he had to repair his plans. "I think I could take them into the Dumbledore family..."

o0o0o0o0o0o0

Hermione was in a dilemma. She didn't know what to do. Do what was easy and not be a spy or do what was right and be a spy? If she became one, who would she spy for? Endure that disgusting Ronald shagging her and touching her spying on the Order or kill and torture people as a Death Eater spy? She didn't know what to do. Usually, she would look in a book for the answer, but this was something not found in books. It was a problem that she had to deal with by herself, without anyone else helping her or any books to guide her.

She paced her room until she saw an owl flying towards her with a letter. She opened the window and waited for the owl. Once the own landed, she untied the letter and glanced at it. Interesting. A letter from Gringotts. Her decision, thankfully, would have to wait. She was confused as to why Gringotts was sending her mail. They usually sent her statements for her trust vault at the end of each month and nothing else. Had something happened? She unfurled the letter and read it.

_Dear Ms Granger,_

_We at Gringotts are sorry to inform you that we have a matter of great urgency to discuss with you. You are requested to appear at Gringotts at one pm tomorrow July 25th. You're parents are also invited but are not required to be in attendance. This letter is a portkey which will activate at ten minutes before one promptly. You will land in a waiting room, where you will wait until Clawscratch will come and escort you to my office._

_May your gold forever flow and you enemies' heads fall at your feet,_

_Sharpaxe_  
_Inheritance Department_  
_Gringotts Wizarding Bank_

Interesting. Apparently she was the heiress to some family or other. She wondered just how many muggleborns were really half-blood descendants of squibs from extinct houses. That would completely demolish the Pureblood ideology. If she did something about it, she could completely overthrow the Pureblood system without any violence! She had a new pet project to work on. She knew that at least a few higher up Pureblood families must know about this, but must keep it secret in order to retain their social position. She sat there, lost in her thoughts.

O0o0o0o0o0o0

Severus Snape had thought about the Potter boy's letter. It turned out that he had quite a bit of Lily in him, after all. The boy was as devious and cunning as he was. This letter was his chance to escape. He had burnt it, but it had said that he could escape and either work for him or retire to a distant country where nobody would find him. Best of all, Potter knew Parseltongue, so he could remove his Dark Mark. He was leaning towards fleeing, but he felt that, to honor Lily, he should become a spy on the Order and Voldemort. He quickly packed a bag of information and other essential things that he had collected to give to Potter, as he was still staying at Hogwarts until he decided to flee. He levitated the three trunks of information and shrunk them to put into his pocket. The other trunks he could not shrink, since there were priceless things in there, including Ravenclaw's diadem, which he had gleaned the info about from Voldemort himself, having listened in on him and Malfoy's conversation regarding Horcruxes. He had, of course, hastened to a certain room on the seventh floor and retrieved it. It was the one Horcrux in his reach, but he knew where another one was, in Bellatrix's vault. It was far from making him mortal, as Voldemort still had two more in unknown locations and, of course, his snake, Nagini.

He finished the packing and stood, taking the portkey out of his pocket and waiting. At exactly noon, he disappeared in a flash of blue light.

O0o0o0o0o0o0

Dumbledore was happy. His plans were finally repaired. He had taken in the three into his family, never mind his family's recent fall from grace. At least he still held the Chief Warlock and Headmaster positions, at least until August 3rd, his trial. It should have been on July 31st, but he pulled a few strings while he made plans. First, he would ruin the Potter boy until he came groveling and begging for forgiveness. He would use his positions to expel Potter from Hogwarts... permanently. He would also get him stripped of all his titles and disgraced at the Wizengamot meeting instead of merely just having him voted off the Wizengamot for being incompetent. He would have to bribe a few people, but he could use Fudge's money. The incompetent man may have been disgraced, but he still had a respectable sum of money that he could "borrow". It would feel good to ruin Potter before he himself was thrown into Azbakan, presumably for an extremely long time. He would be remembered.

He was jerked out of his musings by one of the many devices on his desk whistling. His tracking device for Potter. It had been silent for more than a week, on a hair trigger, so he assumed that it was either broken or Potter was behind wards as ancient ad Hogwarts herself. He glanced at it. Diagon Alley, more specifically Gringotts. He could finally catch him! His plans might not even be needed, once he stole Potter's rings and put him under a loyalty potion. He would use the rings to gain control of Potter's power, of course. But if the rings did not allow him to use them, he would destroy them. If he could not have that power, he would just wipe the houses out completely. If he could not have it, nobody should. He quickly used his pendant to call an urgent Order meeting.

o0o0o0o0o0o0

Harry and Draco stepped out of Gringotts and into the Alley. They had both spent an interesting afternoon talking with Griphook about Potter Corp. Now, it was time to retrieve the robes, meet Serena and Damien at Florean Fortescue's, and head back to the Manor for the meeting with Snape at noon. Unfortunately, there was a crowd of people from the Order of the Fried Chicken headed toward them, the Bumblebee and the three No-Names naturally in the lead. Harry and Draco stopped on the steps, allowing the Order to cover the remaining distance before attempting to apparate to the other side of the Alley. Unfortunately, they had forgotten one thing: It was impossible to Apparate from Gringotts, and the steps counted as Gringotts territory. By the time they realized this, the Order had reached and surrounded them.

"Harry, my boy, you mustn't wander off like that from your relative's house! You need to stay there for the Greater Good because of the blood protections. We must get you back as soon as possible.", Dumbledore stated arrogantly, ignoring Draco completely.

"Unfortunately, Dumbledore, the blood wards no longer have any effect, since, last year, Voldemort merged with my blood, allowing him access into the blood wards, rendering them useless. I believe you know that. Or are you an even greater fool than I realized?", Harry pointed out spitefully, mocking Dumbledore.

"HOW DARE YOU TALK TO THE HEADMASTER THAT WAY!", shrieked Molly. Harry was mildly surprised that the three were wearing House Dumbledore crests. It appeared that Dumbledore had taken them in after they were expelled from the Weasley and Prewett families. Harry smirked. Dumbledore was knowingly dragging them down even more, along with himself. The Dumbledore name would be looked on as trash by next week. Dumbledore interrupted the woman's rant.

"Molly, this is a friendly meeting. I appreciate it, but please keep quiet."

Dumbledore then tried another tactic. "Harry, my boy, why are you trying to ruin your best friends and myself with those deplorable accusations? Ron, Ginny, and myself are not stealing money from you; I am borrowing it to find the Order, per your father's wishes, and Ron and Ginny need the money."

"I did it because you did not ask me for the money, and that counts as line theft and robbery. Also, I highly doubt that my father wished for you to steal over a billion galleons "for Order purposes". What Order purposes? Half the money was going into your personal account, and a lot of the other half was used for bribes to Ministry officials, which I have also called back and made a record of. Fudge and a whole lot of other people are going to find themselves hating you when they get arrested for acceptng bribes. Only about one percent was actually going to the Order.", Harry sneered.

Dumbledore was beyond shocked. He did not expect Potter to know where the money was going. He finally stammered out, "It was for the Greater Good, my boy."

Harry just sneered even more. "Stealing my money was for the Greater Good?"

Dumbledore tried yet another angle. "Harry, you need to come with us, your future wife, Ginevra, has been worried."

Ginny broke in at that point. "Harry, don't you still want to marry me? Anything is better than that b**** you married."

Ron interrupted. "Yeah, mate, we could be brothers! Is that cool or what?"

Harry was furious. These people were so thick that they couldn't get it into their heads that he wasn't marrying the she-weasel! He would hand himself over to Voldemort before marrying her! He decided to show off his aura to get Dumbledore to back off. He slowly moved towards Dumbledore with his aura flaring until Dumbledore was cowering before him."In case you can't get it into your thick brains, the marriage contract is not valid, since it was not signed by my magical guardian. Before you say anything, Dumbledore, you are not and never were my magical guardian. It is now an adult that I trust implictly."

Ron spoke up again while cowering behind his mother. "Why are you friends with Malfoy, Harry? You're making friends with the enemy!"

Harry had had enough from these thick-headed idiots. "In case you didn't know, Ronald, Draco is now a Black, not a Malfoy. It also happens that I trust him more than you. In fact, you could say that he's my best mate." Without another word, he turned and stalked off towards Madam Malkin's with Draco following.

O0o0o0o0o0o0

"...and then, Harry just got furious, so furious that he had his aura flaring, and told off Dumbledore in the middle of the Alley with everyone watching! His aura even made Dumbledore cower before him!" Draco was telling the story to Serena as they were walking from Madame Malkin's to the Apparation point, since she had been inside the ice cream parlor at the time. He was stretching it, though.

Harry told him patiently, "Draco, you're grossly exaggerating. While my aura did light up half the Alley, it did not make him cower back as much as you say."

He just snorted. "He didn't back off? He was ready to run away by the time you were done with him! It happened exactly like I told it. You're just being modest."

Of course, Damien had to interrupt. "Dad, can you teach me how to flare my aura?"

The trio laughed. Serena told him patiently, "Not now, Damien. You'll have to wait until you're a bit bigger, then you can be the powerful wizard that Harry is."

Damien pouted. "Why don't I get to be a powerful wizard like Daddy? All that I have are people that hate me. Nobody _fears_ me."

This set the trio off. Trying to control his laughter, Harry said, "Damien, lots of people will fear you when you grow up. In fact, I can almost guarantee it, what with your arrogant attitude that you got from Draco."

Draco smirked and said jovially, "I just can't help it. He used to be a Malfoy, after all. Now you have to call it the Black arrogance instead of the Malfoy arrogance."

Harry just smirked and told him, "The Malfoy line is going to die out within a few weeks. Do you want to claim the spoils, or should I just absorb the spoils into the Black family? That includes the Malfoy arrogance, which you've aptly renamed the Black arrogance."

Draco waved a hand dismissively. "Did you forget? The Malfoy assets were confiscated along with the other Dark families'. I took the liberty of dividing the rather large spoils among the victims of the First War, including Weasley, Prewett. Longbottom, McKimmon, and many other families. The families that died out? I just gave the share to the closest family to them, like the Longbottoms to the McKimmons or the Flitwicks to the Fenwicks. It made quite a few families richer."

Harry just grinned and told him, "I remember now. Weren't the Dagworth-Grangers included in that list? Maybe I should drag Hermione in for an Inheritance test. She is turning sixteen soon, after all."

They kept bickering until they reached the Apparation point, where they apparated back to the Manor.

O0o0o0o0o0o0

When they arrived at the Manor, they found Snape waiting for them with quite a few trunks stuffed with information. The trio greeted him warmly and Harry asked, "Couldn't you just have used a multi-compartment trunk?"

Snape sneered and answered, "The information is stored in these four trunks, which have three compartments each, but the potions and other assorted things are to volatile to risk putting in a multi compartment trunk, so they are in these five trunks. It was quite a chore bringing all of these."

He continued. "Inside the first trunk are records I gathered and duplicated regarding the Order back to when it was formed, inside the second are Auror intelligence and records back to the beginning of the First War in two of them and information regarding bribes and extortion by politicians back to 1980 in the third, inside the third are Death Eater records and information back to when Voldemort first rose to power, and inside the last are miscellaneous history books and records. I think you'll find most of the information to be useful. Inside the other five trunks are potions, Hit Wizard equipment, Auror equipment, trackers, spy materials, various amulets, other assorted trinkets and charmed items, magical weapons, and, of course, Ravenclaw's Diadem."

He pulled out another black trunk and enlarged it. "I also have this trunk with two large compartments that serves as a portable prison/dungeon with five cells per compartment for keeping people you capture in battle and temporary prisoners. Don't worry, the interior is actually in another demension, so you can shrink it. The trunk is merely the way to access it. It also includes anti-magic shackles and other devices inside such as magic-prohibiting ankle bracelets and chains which attatch to the wall, along with some Veritaserum and an interrogation chamber. I acquired it from someone in Knockturn Alley a while ago without anyone knowing. It may be useful."

Harry was surprised. He had not expected this mush when he asked Snape for some information and equipment. But, most of it would be useful, especially the prison trunk. He could keep Death Eaters in there without having to run to the Ministry every time. "Well, Professor, this is much more than I expected. Thank you. I will be sure to contact you soon with information regarding what you are going to do for us. Hopefully I can get you 'sacked' by December, remove your Dark Mark, and then you can run away to do whatever you want, nobody telling you what to do."

Snape grinned for the first time Harry could ever remember. It was shocking. "Potter, you are truly Lily's son. She would be proud of you, helping me escape and making me realize that my grudge against James was childish and arrogant. She was my best friend, and I now realize that I did some horrible things to her and James. She would, I think, like the way I'm changing. We can forgive, but we cannot forget. So will you forgive all the childish things I did to you in class over my hatred of James?"

Harry was about to go into a coma from shock. Snape asking for his forgiveness! And he was admitting his childish grudge against his dad! He knew that Snape was tired of people controlling him, but he had really seen his mistakes? This was actually happening! Well, he admitted, he had half expected it to happen sooner or later. That was true. He always did have a 'saving people' thing. Heck, he would probably try to save Voldemort if he could! Then again, he had saved Snape and Draco, who were his worst enemies in first year. Why should Voldemort be any harder?

He escorted Snape to the fireplace and told him the password to activate the floo connection, then returned to his room to mull over it for a while. He would have Pureblood Traditions classes along with the rest of his classes in the afternoon, so he had to get ready. Jakarta was not going to go easy on him any more than his other classes, but hopefully he would get to wield Excalibur within a few more lessons. He was taking a bunch of subjects, including Dueling with Master Hampson, sword fighting with Jakarta, Pureblood Traditions with Andromeda Tonks, Vampire magic with Master Tremblay, Auror Tactics with Tonks, Battle Magic with Master Deaufort, and Arithmancy, Runes, and Wards with Remus. It was quite a load, but he knew every class was essential.

* * *

A/N- Please follow, fav, and review! Also, vote on my poll on my profile page! I know I'm not the best at writing, but just bear with me. I'm learning. Reviews are accepted, but please keep them respectful and suggestions are helpful, but don't complain about what I did to so-and-so and don't blast me and/or my writing. I will not change what I've already written.


	17. The Wizengamot and the Council

A/N- I will possibly be slowing down the updates to every 10 days, as I have school to worry about and standardized tests are coming up. Plus, I want to make my writing better. If you want to beta, contact me and I'll arrange it. Serena will have a much bigger part in this chapter, as will Neville, Hermione, Susan Bones, Daphne Greengrass, and a few other appearances of minor characters will happen as well. You will see the Heir of Hufflepuff in this chapter, and maybe a clue or two about the Heir of LeFey and/or Merlin. Arthur is just a Muggle ancestor of Harry, though. Harry is not Merlin or Le Fey's heir. Nor Hufflepuff. Hermione is one, though, as will possibly Neville and Susan. PM me any guesses as to which is which.

A/N 2- To those of you who gave me positive reviews, thanks. I'm not up to the responding to them one by one, though.

On another note, to those with reviews with bad things to say- I get it. You don't have to waste a review on bashing my story. I KNOW THAT THIS MAY BE BAD FOR SOME OF YOU IDIOTS OUT THERE, SO IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING GOOD TO SAY IN YOUR REVIEWS, SHUT UP. Nobody appreciates an anonymous reader bashing their first story, just to go on with the cliché "This story is awful." Why bother reading three chapters if you don't like it? You don't like it, the exit button is on the top right. Or don't you people know how to close a browser window?

Chapter 17- The Wizengamot and The Council

It was the day of the Wizengamot meeting. Draco, Harry, Serena, Neville, and surprisingly, Luna and Hermione were rushing around to get ready in time for the meeting at noon. Hermione reflected on the past few days as she hurriedly put on her Dagworth-Granger robes and got her Inheritance and Wizengamot papers sorted out.

_**-flashback-**_

Hermione was ready for her appointment at Gringotts. In fact, she had been pacing her room for the past ten minutes, reflecting on the past few days, when her alarm charm sounded. Hurriedly canceling the charm, she pushed thoughts of Harry to the back of her head and took the letter out. She had examined it over the past few days and found that it was a Goblin portkey to somewhere inside Gringotts, designed to activate at precisely 12:50. As the clock hit the minute, she disappeared in a whirlwind of blue light.

O0o0o0o0o0o0

She landed hard on the stone floor of a small sitting area. The room was empty, save for a few chairs and a heavy door. She sat in one of the chairs and waited.

Ten minutes later, a goblin opened the heavy oaken door and gestured at her. He spoke as they were walking through the halls.

"Miss Granger, I am Clawscratch and will be conducting the Inheritance Test on you today. My colleague Griphook insisted that you take it, leading to the letter being sent to you. Subsequent to the test, you will be taken to Griphook's office, where he will talk to you about your inheritance and other related issues. We will now conduct the Inheritance test. There will be two curse-breakers conducting it on you, as you were scheduled for the more complicated one, due to some higher-ups insisting. You don't mind taking off your clothes in front of a few people, do you?"

With that, she was pushed into a small chamber with a ritual circle at the senter. There were rows upon rows of runes that she was aching to peruse, but she knew now was not the time. She waited for a little bit until the door opened and Bill and Fleur walked in. She sighed in relief. She trusted the two and knew they were competent curse-breakers. Bill smiled at her. "Hey Hermione, I normally don't do Inheritance Rituals, but Griphook hinted that I might be meeting someone I knew. I'm a bit relieved that its you and not some other person that I have to help strip!"

Hermione blushed as red as a tomato. She hated Bill's twisted sense of humor. She ignored him and beckoned Fleur to come and help her strip naked. She trusted a woman more than a man to do it. She then lay on the ritual table as Bill poked and prodded her as he was "inspecting" her body. She suspected that this was completely unnessesary, and that was confirmed by the way Fleur, his girlfriend, kept shooting him dark looks. Finally, the two started casting complex charms, and quickly found several things. Bill looked up and said, "I see why I was called in, since I'm the most talented at removing permanent glamors and Inheritance-blocking curses. There are several glamor spells on you, but those are later. Let me just remove these curses..."

He proceeded to prod her even more with his wand and winked at her when Fleur was drawing runes. He finally jabbed his wand in a tight circle before muttering an incantation. There was a flash and she felt light-headed and... different somehow. The two started chanting, and she quickly fainted.

She woke up as Bill was picking up a paper and sealing it in an envelope. Bill looked up. "Ah, you're awake. Get dressed and I'll call Griphook. Ten short minutes later, the trio was sitting in Griphook's office.

"Well done, Curse-breaker Weasley, Delacour. You will get a raise for your hard work." With that, the two left and Griphook quickly unsealed the envelope and read the contents. He raised an eyebrow and handed the paper to Hermione. "You may find this quite informative."

She, naturally, read it.

_Name- Hermione Jean Granger (Formerly Sophia Andromeda Black)_

_Parents- Tom Marvolo Riddle_

_Bellatrix Black Lestrange_

_Daniel Granger (Adopted parent)_

_Emma Granger (nee Desamond)_

_Closest Living Relatives-_

_Andromeda Tonks (Aunt)_

_Nymphadora Tonks (Cousin)_

_Ted Tonks (Uncle)_

_Narcissa Malfoy (Aunt)_

_Draco Malfoy (Cousin)_

_Harry Potter (Second Cousin via Desamond Family)_

_Serena Potter (Second Cousin via Desamond Family)_

_Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Dagworth-Granger_

_Heir to the Ancient House of Gaunt (Formerly Noble)_

_Heir to the Ancient House of LeStrange (formerly Noble)_

_Heir to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of LeFey_

_Heir to the House of Riddle_

_Member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Desamond_

_Member of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin_

_Abilities-_

_Parselmouth (LeFey and Slytherin trait) (blocked)_

_Magical Core (80% Percent Blocked) Wandless Magic (Blocked) Natural Occlumency Barriers (Blocked) Natural Legilimency (Blocked) Animagus Form (Blocked)_

_Dark Arts (Blocked)_

"Before you freak out," Griphook said, "Here is a letter from your Mother and a few papers."

Hermione wordlessly took them and read them.

_Dear Sophia/Hermione,_

_No doubt you've just read your inheritance test and you're in massive shock. I am your mother. Bellatrix AKA Trixie. If you ask Andy or Cissy, they will say I was the best out of the lot. Believe me, I was a bright witch, like yourself, in Hogwarts. Never could resist a book. I was in Slytherin, naturally, but I should have been in Ravenclaw. In fact, I was a Light witch along with my sisters until Rodolphus LeStrange enacted the damned Marriage contract. I was bound to be married to that disgusting man, who was a Dark Voldemort symphesizer, because my parents arranged it. Of course, he took control of me with the Loyalty, Slavery, and Submission clauses and turned me into the Dark witch you see today. I can be cured, just get Sirius or the Head of the Black family to dissolve the Contract and I'll be free. I was raped by Voldemort, resulting in your birth. It was not an accident. He did it for an Heir. Of course, I gave birth to you, but hid you in the Muggle world for fear of the Dark Lord. When you come to see me, I will tell you more. For now, all I can offer is a heart-felt apology and a plea for forgiveness. Please don't think too horribly of me._

_Love,_

_Bellatrix Black_

_P.S. Neville's Parents are curable. Black Family Grimoire. Curse and counter-curse are on Page 117. Get a Black family member to cure Neville's parents._

Hermione was stunned upon finishing the letter. She had so many questions, she didn't know which to ask first. Finally, she choked out, "Is it possible to get Bellatrix cleared?"

Griphook regarded her with amusement. "We have taken the matter to Amelia Bones, who has cleared her of all charges in a private tribunal. It has yet to be publicly announced. We will most likely tell the Longbottoms when they are notified of the cure and tell the world after the Dark Lord's defeat."

Hermione was relieved. However, she was still confused and anxious to learn more.

What followed was Hermione giving Griphook a massive headache with a barrage of questions. It was nearly closing time before she finished asking questions. Finally, they dealt with the paperwork and rings and it ended in Griphook practically throwing her out of his office.

**-end flashback-**

She was dissapointed that she could not tell the others. However, she would tell the others at the next Lunem meeting. She wondered how the others would respond. She had decided to contact Bellatrix and take up the possibility of becoming a spy. It would be exciting to be a spy. She was bored of researching things all day. She finally realized that she had a thirst for excitement after the adventures with Harry every year. That was why she red all those action novels in her spare sighed and put on her robes. Who knew that she had a thirst for action?

O0o0o0o0o0o

Harry and Draco were going over plans, back-up plans, and more back-up plans.

"OK. So if Dumbledore does this..." Draco pointed at a scenario on the wall of plans.

"I respond with formal etiquette for "Go away you bastard", Harry replied tiredly. "Aren't we already through with this?"

"Still, you need to review."

They then proceeded to go over all thirty plans and counter-plans. It was getting tiring, and Harry was even more convinced that Draco was evil. "We need to go. Let's call the others and Floo over."

Draco conceded the point. They were late. They both put on their formal robes and walked into the great hall.

O0o0o0o0o0o

Serena was beginning to get tired. If this was what being a parent was like, she needed to get used to it. "Damien, you need to stay at home with Uncle Ted. We need to go to a important meeting."

Damien steadfastly refused. "No! I'm coming with you!"

"But Damien, you can't come because you're a kid."

"Take me with you. Nobody's going to dare argue with Daddy."

"No, this meeting is important."

"So? I can still come."

"No, we have to stay after to take care of really boring things."

"I'll just come home with Uncle Draco."

"I'll buy you a pack of Blood Pops if you stay at home with Uncle Ted."

This finally convinced him. "OK! I'll stay at home!"

Finally. She wouldn't have to stay at the Manor and not make it to the Wizengamot. She was considering telling Harry to make a Harem, but that would be really immature of her. Harry needed one wife, not 50. But then again, she would have to be a baby factory to get enough babies for his titles, plus she had to manage all the parties and affairs for all the titles/lordships. She was seriously considering suggesting Harry get six wives.

O0o0o0o0o0o

When everyone finally made it to the entrance hall with their robes on and papers I n hand, the began to Floo over one by one. Neville pulled Harry aside and whispered, "Meet me in the chamber after the meeting. Alone. There's a second meeting I have to bring you to. It concerns most of your titles."

Harry was confused, but agreed to meet Neville after the Wizengamot session. "Are you going to be representing Longbottom or is your gran?"

Neville responded, "My gran will be at the meeting, but I'll be showing you around and be at the meeting shadowing my gran for when I become a Lord next summer."

When they reached the fireplace, Neville guided Harry into the fireplace with him, threw down some powder, and called out, "Wizengamot Chamber Authorization Longbottom and Potter!" It was a different address than the public one Draco and Serena had used, but the rest had used that address, Luna guiding Hermione and Moody guiding Arthur.

They spun, and Harry saw a door at the supposed end of the Floo pipes open for them. Apparently only Lords could use the special entrance. They landed in a lounge off the Chambers and Harry, surprisingly, made a perfect, dignified exit. When he exited the fireplace, he found many lords were applauding him. Apparently they had been expecting him. Neville, Luna, Hermione, and Harry all made their way to the back, but not before many Lords tried to offer him alliances and talk to him. He would have Draco handle those later. For now, his personal office.

"Here we are", Neville said proudly as they neared the largest office, directly across from the Longbottom office, "The Potter-Black-Desamond office. Apparently they were next to each other, so I made it into a small office, similar to a lawyer's, with a huge office, a meeting room, a lounge, a private room, a restroom, and a secretary's office in the front. Almost like a Lawyer's office, but more designed for Politics. Wait till you claim the Founders lordships. Those offices are being modernized as we speak and will be combined like this one, except it will be larger with larger individual rooms and an extra game room and a personal study and library. Cool, huh? My office is now the same as this one, since I absorbed the McKimmon and LeStrange votes and offices into mine."

They took a tour, walking around, and Harry noticed that the rooms were spacious and inviting, exactly what was needed for political meetings. It would be put to good use. Also, they found a private bedroom behind the private office that held many things needed for a quick overnight stay. Apparently it was used if Harry was working late and needed to work early the next day. He would problably loan it to whoever he used as proxy, most likely Andromeda Tonks.

Finally, they finished the tour and moved on to claim the Dagworth-Granger offices, a relatively large office with only two rooms that desperately needed cleaning and modernizing. They resolved to contact the company that had done Harry's office and get them to take care of Hermione's. Finally, they finished by meeting Draco and Serena in the chambers and going back up to the office to go over last-minute plans. Draco explained to them that, with the Potter, Black, and Desamond votes, they held fifteen percent of the votes and adding on the Founding families' votes together with the Longbottom, Bones, Weasley, Prewett, Dagworth-Granger, Lovegood, and Moody votes, the families they were currently aligned with, they had close to forty percent of the votes. All in all, once they got a few more allies, they could push almost anything through the Wizengamot.

O0o0o0o0o0o

"Hear ye, hear ye! The 438th session of the Wizengamot is hereby called to order! This is the 17th emergency session!", the scribe announced. Immediately, the people began to file to their seats in the Wizengamot chamber or the Visitor's Gallery, respectively. Harry made sure to sit near the front of the gallery, along with Moody, Arthur, and Hermione.

"Our first order of business is Harry Potter's unlawful emancipation!", said Dumbledore. Immediately, Madam Longbottom stood up. "Longbottom has the floor", Dumbledore said grudgingly.

"Chief Warlock, surely we are going to take care of the new Lords taking their seats first?", he questioned.

Immediately, Lord Greengrass stood and said, "I second" and then man y other lords said, "I third", I fourth", and so on.

"One of the Lords to be recognized is the one whose unlawful emancimation we are talking about today!", declared Dumbledore.

"Still, Chief Warlock, you must recognize them first!", she countered.

There were murmured agreements from the other members, and Dumbledore sighed. "Harry, Hermione, Alastor, Arthur, take your seats."

None of the four moved a muscle. "You need to address us by our titles and swear us in, Chief Warlock.", Hermione said scathingly.

Faced with a potential political suicide if he did not comply, Dumbledore scowled. "You may take the oath and claim your seats, Lord Potter, Lord Weasley, Lord Moody, Lady Granger."

Harry stepped up to the podium and raised his wand. "I, Harry James Potter- Black, Lord Slytherin, Baron Gryffindor, Prince Ravenclaw, Lord Potter, Lord Black, Lord Desamond, and Heir to the Ramanov Vampire Clan, claim the ancient Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Potter, Black, and Desamond seats by right of inheritance and emancipation. So mote it be!" A flash of magic, and Harry had successfully clained the seats. He then spoke again. " I, Harry James Potter- Black hereby swear upon my wizard's honor that I will vote per my conscience and not be corrupted by power or greed while voting in this esteemed body. So mote it be!"

He then walked up the steps and sat in the Potter seat, which was next to the Longbottom and Bones seats, near the top of the steps. He was sitting between Amelia Bones and Augusta Longbottom. But Susan Bones and Neville were seated a seat away, giving him an encouraging smile. "Just insert your wand in the hole here,", Amelia whispered to him, "and it will make the seat include all your votes and Lordships." He did so and the seat flashed and held all six of his house crests.

Next up was Hermione. She walked up and intoned, "I, Hermione Jean Granger-Desamond, Lady Dagworth-Granger and Lady LeFey, hereby claim the Dagworth Granger seat and the ancient Le Fey seat by right of blood and inheritance. So mote it be!"

This was a shock. Added on to Harry's six seats, a few people fainted and most of the Wiengamot was intensely interested in both Harry and Hermione, visibly plotting and craning their necks to get a glimpse of them. Hermione calmly walked up and took the seat to the right of the Bones seat, sticking her wand into the slot and making toe seat flash.

After the Lords that fainted were revived, they proceeded. Moody stepped up next. "I, Alastor Giles Moody, hereby claim the Moody seat by right of inheritance.", he grunted. A flash of magic, and he too walked up the steps, though he sat next to Odgen and struk up a conversation with him.

Arthur stepped up. "I, Arthur Septimus Weasley, hereby claim the Weasley and Prewett seats by blood, marriage, and inheritance." A flash of magic, and Arthur stepped up and sat next to Peter Abbott near the bottom.

"Finally", Dumbledore sighed while banging his gavel and announcing, "We are here today to discuss the unlawful emancipation of one Harry James Potter-Black! He has been illegally emancipated, and I, as his legal guardian, demand that he be stripped of his titles!"

That caused an uproar. More than half of the Lords stood up so quickly that, if the seats could topple, they would have toppled over. A cacophony of noise burst out, many of the Lords objecting and shouting at Dumbledore. Finally, ten minutes later, Dumbledore restored order and said, "As Harry Potter's legal guardian, I never emancipated him, and call a vote to strip him of his titles!"

Harry stood up, speaking before Dumbledore recognized him. "Is that so, Dumbledore? I have here my parent's will which stated that my guardians were to be the following people, going in order. It includes Sirius Black, the Longbottoms, the Bones, the Greengrasses, the Abbotts, and lastly, the Tonks. Since you do not belong to any of those families, I fail to see how you are my guardian. My guardian was Sirius Black, and I have here his will which emancipated me. Even if he was not, Lady Longbottom or Lady bones here would be my guardian. And I believe that they agree with my emancipation." At this,the witches on either side of him nodded and scowled at Dumbledore. Many of those in the crowd started to grumble about Dumbledore being incompetent. Finally, Harry stepped up again. "While I would have waited, I call for a vote of no confidence against Albus Dumbledore for various things including failure in his job!"

Again, this caused another ruckus. Dumbledore snarled and shouted, "I call for a ten minute recess for debate and review!

O0o0o0o0o0o

On the floor of the chamber, Harry and Draco were regaling almost half of the people in the chamber with facts about Dumbledore's corruptness, manipulations, and how he "did not have the interests of the people at heart". While they were telling stories, Hermione, Moody, Arthur, Amelia Bones, Augusta Longbottom, Neville, Susan, and Serena were discussing their plan's chance of success.

"Hello, everyone. Welcome to our little group, Lady Longbottom, Minister Bones, Lady Bones.", Serena announced, nodding at everyone in turn. "We are here to put Operation Takeover into effect. I will be conducting it, rather than Draco or Harry, since they are out there gathering allies."

Neville spoke up. "In short, we will take Dumbledore down and arrest him on all the charges I have listed here," he pulled out a scroll,"and make sure that everyone is wholly against him by the end of the day. We cannot afford to have anyone sympathetic to him out there. Stage one was completed five minutes ago, which involves Luna giving the signal to release the edition of the Quibbler Daily featuring Dumbledore turning Dark. We have started stage two, taking him down from his many positions in disgrace and installing people loyal to Harry in their places."

He nodded at Serena, who continued. "We are deciding between Augusta Longbottom,", nodding at her, "Tiberius Ogden, Durai Patil, Peter Abbott, and Cygnus Greengrass. We are leaning towards Peter Abbott, as he is the Lord of a well known neutral family that is loyal to us, but we can do with Lord Greengrass or Lord Patil, as we will soon have them on our side. Augusta and Tiberius are our backup choices, as they are popular, but as Augusta is Chancellor and Tiberius is the Judge, we want them to stay in those positions. The others not chosen will be leaders in the Wizengamot itself, forming alliances and more alliances and working with Draco to cordinate the political side of things. Patil and Greengrass also have foreign connections that we can use to our favor. By tomorrow, we will have control of both sides of the government and the Council as well, but the Council is to be taken care of by myself, Susan, Daphne, Harry, and Padma. We make up the Council and will deal with that. Operation Takeover stage two is now in progress!", he finished with a slightly maniacal grin.

The others could find no fault with the plan, so slowly trickled out to try and make alliances with other families and put Operation Takeover into progress. Soon, they would control the government.

O0o0o0o0o0o

"I now call the session to order!", Dumbledore announced, disgruntled. He was not able to find many allies, and most of those on his side had defected, so he knew this was most likely the end of his political career. He would not go down without a fight, though. "I now call a vote on the matter of Lord Potter's call of no confidence against myself! Hopefully, you will all make the right choice."

Harry snorted. Dumbledore, manipulative to the last bit. Manipulating people even while committing political suicide.

The Wizengamot voted overwhelmingly 45-5 to sack Dumbledore from his positions as Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump. The five against were the Doge, Shacklebolt, Bagshot, Vance, and Jones votes. It seemed that most of the Order was still loyal to him. He'd have to correct that soon. Harry stood up. "Before I forget, I need to do this: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, under my authority as the heir of three of the founders, I hereby sack you as Headmaster of Hogwarts! The school will be taken over myself until I make some long-needed changes."

The crowd gaped at him. He had just finished Dumbledore off in less than an hour, taking him from the most powerful wizard in Britain to nothing more than a commoner.

Harry added, "The houses of Potter, Black, Desamond, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin and all their allies and vassals declare blood feud on the House of Dumbledore for crimes against the Head of House! I also charge Albus Dumbledore with the following:

**1. Three counts of Line Theft from an Noble and Most Ancient House,  
2. Two counts of Line Theft from a Most Noble and Most Ancient House,  
3. Will Tampering,  
4. Will Fraud,  
5. Failure in duties as a Magical Guardian of a scion of a Noble and Most Ancient House,  
6. Illegally appointing of yourself to said position,  
7. Failure in duties as Chief Warlock,  
8. Failure in Duties as Headmaster of Hogwarts,  
9. Being the leader of a vigilante organization, and  
10. Two Hundred and Seventy Three Counts of Bribery of High-Level Officials, such as Cornelius Fudge."**

He had just dragged Dumbledore's name down to the point of mud and made about half the families on the Wizengamot declare blood feud against him. It was called taking advantage of having lots of vassals under the three Founding Houses. He smirked. Amelia was calling Aurors to arrest Dumbledore and throw him into the cells in the DMLE. She had just made his day.

Augusta Longbottom then announced, "As the senior Wizengamot member, I open the floor to nominations for a new Chief Warlock!"

Several members stood up.

Lord Ogden called out, "Harry Potter!"

Lord Greengrass called out, "Peter Abbott!"

Lord Abbott countered with, "Cygnus Greengrass!"

Lord Macmillan called out, "Durai Patil!"

Lady Brown shouted, "Augusta Longbottom!"

Lord Nott then announced, "Alfred Yaxley!"

Harry then stood up. "I must respectfully decline, as I have other obligations. However, I support all of the other candidates except Lord Yaxley, as I feel that he is not a good candidate because of where his sympathies lay."

Augusta then stood up and also declined, also recommending any of the other three except Yaxley.

Surprisingly, Lord Greengrass stood up. "While I may have ambitions to become Chief Warlock in the future, I must respectfully decline. I prefer to work from behind the scenes. I recommend Lord Patil for the position."

Lord Abbott mock scowled at him, then stood. "I now call for a vote for the Chief Warlock position. I also recommend that Lord Greengrass reconsider."

They held a vote, and suprisingly, the voting was over in three rounds, Lord Patil winning by a thin margin over Lord Abbott. Sighing, Lord Patil stood up and made the expected speech. "My fellow Lords and Ladies, I thank you for voting me in as Chief Warlock. I will make all efforts to work with you and the Minister to take down the one known as Voldemort." He paused for a moment, looking around. "We are in dark times, and I will do my best to guide us through those dark times. As our Auror force is still under trained and understaffed, I will also appoint Lord Abbott to be our ICW liaison and will reach out to the Indian, American and French Magical governments, our longtime allies, to help us train our Aurors. I will do my best to be a just and fair Chief Warlock and guide us to the defeat of Voldemort. During and after that, I will be working against discrimination and the concept of pureblood superiority. I will not condone these beliefs."

He continued. "Too many magical lines have died out because of interbreeding and many, if not all muggleborns are heir to a family that was believed lost. Hermione Granger is my first example. Lord Potter convinced her to take an inheritance test, and she is the heir to a long lost magical line and the heir of the dark lady Morgana. We have missed out on the fact that so-called muggleborns are weaker than us purtebloods. This is not true. They are just as, if not more, powerful than purebloods. Through my tenure as Chief Warlock, I will strip out these beliefs, as well as discrimination against magical creatures. It is these two ideas that supported Voldemort's rise and makes Britain a breeding ground for Dark Lords. I will also push through laws allowing for development of Wizarding versions of Muggle technology. Lord Potter is already starting a company that does many of those things, which I support and will personally invest in. If we strip out these ridiculous beliefs and drag ourselves into the twentieth century, we can make Britain one of the world's most respected Wizarding nations once again! I now ask for a statement from Lord Potter."

Harry was impressed. Finally, a Chief Warlock with a real backbone! He now knew that he had made the right choice in pushing him up. He'd have to meet with the man sometime the next week. Perhaps offer him a position on the Board of both Potter Corp. and Hogwarts. But he'd take care of that later. For now, he had to talk.

He began. "Ladies and Gentlemen, as soon as I looked at this man I knew that he was the right one. I was going to nominate him, but Lord Macmillan beat me." He playfully glared at Macmillan. Lord Macmillan just smirked. "I will support him and help him pass any laws he deems necessary. I am a firm believer in his ideals and will personally push for these reforms in the next five years. But, for now, I will help him and Minister Bones in getting rid of Voldemort. I urge you to support him, whether to drag the Wizarding World into the Modern Age or to get rid of Voldemort. Now that the more extreme Purebloodists are gone, we can reshape Wizarding Britain into a country rivaled by only the great Magical America and Magical India, which had pushed for these reforms thirty years ago and succeeded! I will support a reform of the Wizengamot, a House of Lords which is all of us, basically inherited seats, and a House of Commoners, which is a part of the Wizengamot that will be voted in by the people! There will be representatives from all over the country, and perhaps even representatives from the other Magical races, such as the Goblins and Merpeople! We will usher in the Modern Era to Wizarding Britain, a Golden Era second only to when Merlin was the leader of Britain! Thank you."\

He sat down amidst a thunder of applause. He didn't know he was such a great politician. Perhaps he would look into a career in politics someday.

Lord Patil stood again. "Thank you for that amazing speech, Lord Potter. Now, this session is hereby adjourned!"

Everyone started milling around, talking about the changes made that day. It was, possibly, the most important day for the country since Hogwarts was founded. He was glad to be the mastermind behind this whole thing. He was the real leader of the group that worked behind the scenes to get things done. It would hopefuly include Lord Patil, Lord Greengrass, and Lord Abbott by next week. They would be worthy additions.

Neville spotted him and quickly came over. "That was some meeting, huh? But now we have to get to the Council meeting." He pulled Harry close and said, "Council Room". A prtkey activated and they vanished without a sound.

o0o0o0o0o0o

They landed perfectly inside an ornate room with several doors along one wall. A large ornate table took up much of the room. About six people were surrounding them. Neville silently gestured for Harry to follow him. They walked to the front and Neville stood at the head of the table. He began. "Fellow Council members, today we induct our final member, who controls the Desamond, Potter, and Black seats on this esteemed council. We will now see if he is worthy of the Council.

He then told Harry, "Simply place your hand on these three chairs and they will test your worthiness to be a member."

Harry was confused. What was the council? Why were the members all teenagers? He resolved to ask later. He placed a hand on the Potter seat first. It shocked him, causing him to stumble. Memories started to flood his consciousness. He stumbled and gripped the chair. He received memories of Potters on the Council. He learned Council rules, what the Council could do, the history of the Council from a Potter's perspective, and much, much more within five seconds. He filed the information away for future use. He also received some Potter Family Secrets as well. He proceeded with the Black and Desamond seats, both accepting him easily and flooding him with a thousand or more years of memories. He finally collapsed on the Potter chair, exhausted. The others watched him with a mixture of amusement and sympathy. Finally, Daphne spoke up.

"The Council is, basically, the ultimate authority of Wizarding Britain. Now, you may be wondering why we are all teenagers, it is because, when a heir in one of our families reaches 16 or is emancipated, they can take their seat. That is why we are all teenagers. This whole Council was replaced this year, due to all of us being emancipated or becoming 15. Our fathers or, in some cases, head of family, gave up their seats to us, but they still retain their power in the Wizengamot. Some of our families are, as you saw, extremely influential in the Wizengamot, and, interestingly, for the first time in a few centuries, the whole Council is in the same year at school."

Daphne continued. "We also agree on most important issues. That makes for much easier decision-making and votes. We can also meet more easily. This coming year, we were going to demand individual private rooms in Hogwarts from the Headmaster due to our political status, but after what happened today, you can just set up rooms for us with a common room; eight bedrooms all connected to a common room. You can set it up to include associates and others like your family, since you control Hogwarts. The Council now controls Hogwarts, the Wizengamot, and the Ministry which is quite a big advantage. We will be meeting together at Hogwarts instead of here until June. We all have a proxy or Head of House representing us in the Wizengamot; I suggest you do the same. I was the leader of the Council till now; I now hand that position over to you, as is your right as the holder of the most seats. You are also the de facto leader of the Wizengamot, control the Ministry, and control Hogwarts; you also have the goblin king's ear. Basically, you're the most politically powerful person since Merlin. I know you like doing everything from the shadows, but, as the Council operates from the shadows, you are the leader, no matter what you say." she finished, smirking at him.

Susan then took over. "There are eight active seats on the Council out of fifteen total. Potter, Desamond, Black, Bones, Greengrass, Patil, Longbottom, and Abbott. Put together, we represent people from all over Britain; Our collective alliances make up 90% of the families, and since the other 19% are mostly Dark Families that were dissolved into one or more of our allies, we control the whole country." she said smugly. "Now, we need to induct you as leader. We need a test. May I suggest a duel?"

They decided to have Harry duel Daphne. If he won, he would become leader. If he lost, Daphne was still leader.

What followed was a huge duel with spells flying all over the place. Nobody could see what was going on, and nobody cared, since they were only concerned about trying to shield themselves. Finally, the duel ended with Daphne bound in ropes and Harry, smirking, standing over her in victory. They clapped and cheered, making Harry the official leader.

"OK, so first, we need to figure out alliances. Who's loyal to us, who's loyal to Dumbledore, who to Voldemort.", Harry stated as he took the head seat. "We need to collect as many allies as possible, and we need to be Slytherin- like in doing it. It's late, so your tasks are to figure out your political alliances and to take care of any... problems. We need to have control over everything by our next meeting. Meanwhile, I'll be making alliances and helping Lord Patil and Minister Bones change all the bad laws from behind the scenes. I know your need to maintain your Pureblood persona, Blaise, Daphne, so you must find any and all who are Purebloodists and root them out. I'll also be taking care of Hogwarts and arrangements there; I'll tell you about the arrangements during our August meeting before school starts. I also will be arranging a few major changes at Hogwarts and the Ministry before our next meeting, so keep an eye on the news and Padma, Susan, have weekly meetings with your parents/aunt to discuss political problems and to figure out what we need to do during our next meeting. Meeting adjourned!"

He sank down, exhausted, in his chair while the others talked amongst themselves. More than one of them arranged visits and discussions during the next week. Only Neville didn't since he saw him every day. He portkeyed with Neville back up to the Wizengamot chamber, which was empty.

As they walked to the floo, Neville explained the portkey and gave him one. "The Council chambers are secure, so only Council members have portkeys to the Chambers. The Chambers are in a secret part of outer London that is unplottable, warded with ancient wards, and shielded from any sort of signal. Nobody knows about the part of London that is unplottable except most of the Ministry, since the Ministry is actually in an underground complex in that part of London, not Central London like everyone thinks. St. Mungo's and Diagon Alley are also there. The barriers to Diagon Alley and St. Mungos are actually ancient portals, can you believe it? The only people who know about it are higher-ups in the Ministry. I mean, why would Diagon Alley be in the middle of London, where any plane can see it? Now, back to the Council. We have meetings every month about three days before the end of the month. Our first official meeting as the Council we are now was the January meeting, which was in the Room of Requirement at school. Only the May and June meetings were in the chambers. I'll explain more later." With that, they flooed back to Potter Manor where everyone from Lunem was waiting for them for the post-Wizengamot meeting.

O0o0o0o0o0o

A/N- Nice cliffhanger to keep you wondering! What will happen next? Who knows? Next will be a Lunem Meeting and the Potter Wills. After that... well, I'll tell you when I get there. Please follow, fav, review, add to your community, recommend to your friends, all that! Thanks!


	18. A Lunem Meeting and the Potter Wills

A/N- I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Nothing much to say. All will be explained in the chapter. As always, follow, fav, and review.

Disclaimer- Standard disclaimer applies.

Chapter 18- The Potter Wills

"I call this Lunem meeting to order!", Harry called across the long table they were at. "New business first. We have a few new members to induct, including Amelia Bones, Durai Patil, and Augusta Longbottom. They are our support base in the Wizengamot, and the heads of some of the most influential families on the Wizengamot(Most Ancient and Noble). Oh also they have a seat on the Council which is occupied by their heirs. Finally, Amelia Bones and Durai Patil are the Minister and Chief Warlock, which gives us excessive influence in the Ministry." The new members each stood up and were sworn in one by one.

After the swearing in, Amelia spoke up. "Technically, the Council is secret, but since we know that everyone here is bound to secrecy, I'll let it slide. The other things are true. Our families (Bones, Patil, Longbottom, Potter) and a few not here (Abbot, Greengrass, etc.) can trace our heritage back to Merlin himself. In fact, all of our families have an ancestor that was a Knight of the Round Table, even though the Patil family is Indian because Sir Bors Patil's grandson moved to India. There were originally twelve Council families and six Founding Families, and the Royal family, but the Council is down to ten, the Founding Families vanished, and the heir to King Arthur vanished around 1150 AD. I know this because of my duties as a historian back when I was on the Council."

Serena smirked and spoke up for the first time. "Actually, if some of us and our heirs go take an Inheritance test... there's a good chance that one or more of us are secondary heirs to the Founding Families. Also, did I forget to tell you that Harry is also the heir to the Pendragon Family? Not that it was magical, of course. The Muggle Queen is also another descendant of Arthur." Everyone sat stunned. She had managed to trace the bloodlines of seven of the Lost Families when they were believed lost! It was unbelievable.

Lord Patil spoke up. "This is surprising news. If Lord Potter so desired, he could take down the Ministry and install the Monarchy into place as the ruler of Magical Britain. The Council would also become the new Wizengamot, in that it would serve out justice and make laws. It would be the Court and the Congress, while the King would be the executive, for those that know about the American system. The Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin seats on the Council would be occupied not by Harry, as he would be the Monarch, but by the secondary heirs. I have suspected our family and the Lovegoods to be secondary Ravenclaw descendants for some time now, as we both have some Ravenclaw artifacts in our Family Vaults. Also, according to my intensive research, the Abbots and Boneses may be secondary heirs for Hufflepuff, while I suspect the Longbottoms and Weasleys to be secondary for Gryffindor and the Greengrasses, Blacks, and the Zabinis may be secondary for Slytherin based on Family history. Merlin and Morgana are the two unknowns. I will start in-depth research into that immediately, but I will need the help of the Research group. Based on today's new information, I would hazard a guess that Morgana changed her family name to either Le Fey or LeStrange, since both can be traced back to the 600s, when they appeared out of nowhere. In that case, we will only need to find Merlin's heir."

Hermione also spoke up. "You are correct, Lord Patil. Lady Le Fey and Morgana are indeed the same. In Muggle legends, Morgana is stylized as Morgan Le Fey, since that is the name found in ancient records of the time. The LeStranges are also another branch of the LeFey family, and I would also be Lady Lestrange if not for the recent purging of titles. To be honest, I don't mind. People would view me as dark if I was." Everyone gasped (except Amelia Bones). Lady Longbottom carefully asked, "How is it that you are the Heir to the LeStrange name?"

Hermione sat back and smiled mysteriously. "I'd advise everyone to get comfortable, as this is a long story..."

After everyone got comfy, she started. "You see, you know that I was born Hermione Granger, right? Wrong! I was born Sophia Andromeda Riddle Lestrange Black. I am the daughter of Tom Marvolo Riddle and Bellatrix Black Lestrange. I was adopted shortly after birth by Dan and Emma Granger, my loving mom and dad right here. It turns out that my Dad was the last of about six generations of Squibs dating back to about 1768, when the Dagworth-Granger line supposedly died out. But that's another story. You see, my mother, Bellatrix, was in a fling with my father, Voldemort, and they had me when they were trying for an heir. Well, I was a girl, and my mother, who is, by the way, actually good, feared for my life. So, she found a loving family, the Grangers, and persuaded them to adopt me. Well, since my mom was sterile, they accepted. My mother proceeded to cast a spell on me that would make me look like them, and then signed the magical adoption papers, making me the Hermione Granger you know and love today."

While she was talking, there were many gasps and expressions of shock. First everyone, then the Tonks, then Dan and Emma, who were here to observe.

She continued. "I had no clue about this until a few days ago, when I had to go to Gringotts to do an inheritance test. It turns out that I'm heir to four houses, but only two are Noble, Granger and Lefey. The other two, Gaunt and Lestrange, I'd rather let die out. I'm also a relative of the Desamond family through Mom, who's also a second generation squib from the Desamond family. Technically, she is Harry's mom's cousin, which makes me and Harry second cousins by adoption and blood. Any questions?"

Emma Granger asked her daughter, "How did you know that my maiden name was Desamond? How is it a magical family?"

Hermione smiled. "Easy. A blood lineage test. It provides you with names of your closest relatives who aren't in Azbakan or dead. The Desamonds were a pureblood family that went into hiding in the 1940s and dissappeared into the Muggle world. It is apparent that your grandfather was the one that went into hiding. You and Lily Evans-Desamond share a grandfather, and your fathers were brothers. Lily was adopted by the Evanses when she was young."

Andromeda said, "I knew Bellatrix was good. We were close during our childhood. Our loving parents arranged two marriage contracts to the Malfoys and Lestranges. Since I was the oldest, I was expected to marry Lucius Malfoy. The reason I ran away was because I saw the submission and slavery clauses in the contract when I was 15. Was she cleared of her crimes?"

Amelia answered that. "Bellatrix kindly provided copies of the contract and proof that she was under the contract's influence, so she has been provided with a pardon. After the war, she will change her name back to Black and move to the United States, or so I'm told. Hermione also told me about a cure for the Longbottoms in the Black Family Grimoire. Supposedly she used a harmless spell on them to simulate insanity. Harry, will you summon the Black Grimoire and provide the spell to cure them? Apparently only the Head of Family can summon it from its pedestal in Black Manor."

Harry smiled. He touched the Black Family ring, whispered "Grimoire", and a heavy thick volume appeared before him. "Which page, Hermione?"

Hermione answered. "Page 117. Plus, only a Black can preform the spell. I'd advise having a trained Healer preform it."

Andromeda interrupted. "I'm a trained Healer. I work at St. Mungos during the weekends as a reserve Healer. I can do the spell on them, since I'm also a Black by birth."

Harry smiled. "Excellent. Here is the Grimoire." He handed her the thick tome, "Go with Augusta later after the meeting. Pick up Neville along the way."

Augusta nodded. "I will go right after the meeting. It is amazing to know that there is a cure."

Hermione interrupted. "Let's get back to the story. Anyways, after the big reveal, they took me to a ritual chamber and Bill and Fleur", she nodded at them, "removed the blocks on my abilities. Now, my magical core is as large as Harry's, I can speak Parseltongue, I am a natural at Occlumency and Legilimency, I am a natural at Wandless Magic and the Dark Arts, and I can become an Animagus. All Le Fey traits. I will start intensive training with these traits and abilities, along with Harry. I am training to become a spy. I will eventually infiltrate the Death Eaters and Bellatrix will present me as her daughter Sophia. I will work from the inside to bring him down. When I am ready to go in, Snape will make his escape. I will need to be convincing, so I will stage several very real duels with Harry and a number of others and gain his trust. After that, he will trust me more than Snape, so I hope the war will end more quickly. I believe that is all." She finished dramatically. "Any more questions?"

Amelia and Durai Patil were whispering. Amelia finally spoke up. "How about we make your cover even more solid by making it so that Hermione Granger died in an attack, and then Sophia Black was found in America, where she was hidden since 1981? Also, we can make Sophia Black a wanted criminal once you infiltrate the Death Eaters. Of course, you will be pardoned at the end of the war for any crimes, such as the use of Unforgivables. Just try not to kill too many people.", she finished dryly.

Hermione nodded. "That would be a great help, but I may not need it. I have found in the Potter Library an imitation Killing Curse that imitates the effects of the Killing Curse but is really the spell version of the Drought of the Living death; it puts the victim under stasis. All you need to do is give them the potion and place them in hiding. I also have a red curse that makes the victim scream. It looks like Cruciatus, but again, it is an imitation. I won't be able to get away with the Imperious, however. That has no similar curse. That will be the only one I will need a pardon for, if I cast it. Other than that, I will be OK. Mom, Dad, don't worry about me. I'll be perfectly safe, and I want to do this to defeat Voldemort."

Dan and Emma weren't convinced. "Honey, isn't there some other person who can spy on him?", Emma pleaded, fearing for her daughter's life.

"No, but at the first sign of trouble, I promise I will come back. I will not get killed by that half-blood bastard.", Hermione responded resolutely.

They were still unconvinced but reluctantly accepted that she would do it no matter what they said.

"Excellent. Hermione, you'll be taking your Sophia Black persona on August 23rd, and Hermione Granger will be presumed dead on August 14th. You'll be going to Hogwarts as Sophia Black and will be inserted in December or earlier. For now, you'll be in training on intelligence gathering, the Dark Arts, Occlumency, Legilimency, and a lot of other things including Battle Magic and Acting. When the time comes, Serena will be your contact as the head of the Intelligence division. We will work out the little details out later. Lastly, Hermione, if you will?", Harry injected.

Hermione took out her wand and pointed it at herself. "_fulgorem ostendam_", she incanted. Suddenly, her body began to change, becoming paler, brown bushy hair becoming black, facial facial features becoming sharper, and body growing taller. At the end, nobody could have guessed that she once was Hermione Granger if they didn't know. "Do a heritage spell on me, Harry. I want to see how this turns out.", she spoke. Her voice was softer, lilting, but it also had a cruel and intimidating quality to it that struck fear into them.

Harry raised his wand. "_hereditas revelare_", he whispered. Words appeared above Hermione/Sophia's head.

_Sophia Andromeda Black_

_b. 15 September 1979_

_Father- Thomas Marvolo Riddle_

_Mother- Bellatrix Black Lestrange_

Nobody could restrain themselves any longer. They gasped and began asking questions. "How did you trick the spell?" "How does it not say Hermione Granger?"

Sophia waited for them to quiet down. "This spell is tricked into believing this because my Hermione Granger persona and all associated memories are boxed into a capsule in my brain that is so well protected that only I can access it. When I am in the Sophia Black persona, anyone doing Legilimency on me will only see my false "Sophia" memories- that I was born in a Muggle hospital, was sent to America, went to Wizarding School there, was adopted by an American wizarding family sympathetic to Voldemort, and that I discovered my heritage and came back to Britain to find my biological parents. All the true memories are in the capsule, as Harry named it. It's foolproof. Nobody will suspect a thing. I will also teach this technique to other spies, including Severus and Bellatrix. The best thing is, the story checks out. It took a fair bit of work, but the story will check out if somebody thinks to check. But mist likely, nobody will."

They quickly finished explaining to everyone all the other arrangements- that Snape would "find" her at Hogwarts, do a heritage test on her, and then bring her to Voldemort in November or December, whenever the next meeting was. In the meantime, Sophia would be sorted into Slytherin and make connections with Dark families like the Crabbes, Goyles, Notts, and Parkinsons. If the kids were at Hogwarts.

"Our next order of business is... Harry and the upcoming school year.", Serena announced. "Under Dumbledore, the once esteemed school has become a nut house. I suggest Harry not being a student, but become Temporary Headmaster as he makes the needed changes. After that, he will still live at Hogwarts with the others, but will continue the training he is doing here as a Hogwarts Apprentice. He will also take an active role in politics as the public face of the Council."

Harry pouted. "What, I can't make my own choices anymore?"

"No, because it is necessary for you to do this.", his wife answered. "I now call for a vote. All for this?" Everyone raised their hands. "All against?" Harry raised his hand. "That settles it. Harry is going to be managing Hogwarts and making it better. Some changes might include inter-House unity, quashing bullying and other things, adding new classes, hiring more teachers, kicking out bad teachers, redoing the whole curriculum, allowing Vampires, Weres, Elves, Goblins and possibly Merpeople to attend Hogwarts, and adding new technology like projectors, electricity, electric lights, whiteboards, computers, appliances for the House Elves, some entertainment technology like TVs and a theater, the works. All donated by MagiCell and MagiTech, of course. Also, come up with a better way to get to school than the Hogwarts Express. Perhaps portkeys? Finally, increase enrollment into Hogwarts. Hogwarts can fit 1000 students, but there are only about 280-300 students right now. And those are just some of the ideas I have.

Harry moaned. "Why don't you just take over and let me train?"

The Vampire Princess smirked and responded, "Because I'll be busy being the first ever Vampire to attend Hogwarts. I need to be the ambassador for Vampires to Hogwarts and convince them that it is safe to go to Hogwarts. I also need a better solution than sunscreen to deal with the sunlight. I also need to determine what classes need to be added to accommodate other Magical species. Such as Vampire Magic. I will be making suggestions to you while you do the actual work. But don't worry. I'll be living with you and the others in the Owner's suite so don't worry about a lack of good sex."

Everyone laughed at Harry while he pouted and glared at his wife. After that, Harry accepted his position (extremely reluctantly) and they moved on.

"Next", Amelia announced, "are recruiting and alliances. We need to recruit more people, whether into the Aurors or into Lunem. We need a larger fighting force and research section, after all. Also, we need to form alliances among the Wizengamot so we can push through legislation that allows our group to go public and later, to drag Magical Britain into the 20th century.

Harry interrupted. "I've got the Council on that. They will talk with their Head of House and discuss which Houses to approach. Greengrass, Davis, and Zabini will go after the neutral ones, and a mixture of the rest will go after the Light families. By the end of the week every House will be allied to us in one way or another. We will have the Wizengamot in our pocket. As for recruiting, Lunem is an intelligence-gathering and political organization only, if we are going into fighting we will need to start a separate group. Again, Lunem is secret and after today, we are only inducting people on the Council and their Heads of House and that will be it. We'll talk about the Aurors later with Mad-Eye."

Amelia wasn't fazed. "Well, in that case, I'll leave it to you. We can have a meeting later on this. By the way, Hermione, Gringotts wants to talk to you about the LeStrange fortune and a few Dark artifacts, specifically a thing called a Horcrux. I believe that it is essential to the war, otherwise they wouldn't have told me."

Hermione nodded, having reverted to her normal look. "I'll take care of it."

Serena looked around. "Any more things we need to discuss? No? Meeting adjourned! Password to activate the Floo is Liberus, both to enter it and to exit through it."

Everyone started trickling towards the Floo. Amelia and Lord Patil lingered. Lord Patil approached Serena. He asked, "How is it that you were able to trace many of the lost lines?"

Serena smiled indulgently. "You see, the Vampire Nation keeps their own records on Wizards. Since I am the Vampire Princess, I naturally have access to those records. I cannot reveal anything in them to anyone except Harry, which is why I implied that a bloodline test might help. I can only indirectly reference something. For instance, many Muggleborns are Heirs to lost lines. I can tell you more later, once I get permission from my father."

Lord Patil understood that the Vampire library was secret, so he moved on. "Is it possible for me to work in the Research division? I have a certain gift for research."

Serena nodded and took out a piece of parchment. Writing something down using a self-inking quill, she told him, "I expected you would ask that. I am sorting everyone into divisions, and you will probably be in research when I finish next week."

Meanwhile, a very irate Madam Bones was on Harry's case. "Why did you steer us away from that last topic so quickly?"

Harry smiled inwardly. He had expected this question. "Well, Madam Bones, that business must not be revealed to others until next week when I have a surprise planned. I will come th the Ministry in a few days to brief you on it. Good day, Madam Bones." With that, he turned and turned towards the stairs, intending to do what he had held off on for so long, fearing that it would just cause him grief- the Lord's Study.

o0o0o0o0o0o

He quickly found the study on the fourth floor, behind the library. It seemed that the house elves didn't know about the room because it was charmed so that only the Lord and anyone invited could know. He placed his hand on the door as it took a sample of his blood. Confirming that he was the Lord, it clicked open and surprisingly, electrical lights flickered on. Hmmm. Apparently the study was hardened against magic so it could have electricity. He quickly found a letter from his grandfather on the desk that was addressed to Lord Potter. Apparently he had somehow known about the possibility that James Potter would not survive to take the Lordship. He slit the seal on the letter and pulled out several pieces of parchment. The first two were a letter, while the rest seemed to be legal papers and some sort of book. He set the other papers aside and concentrated on the letter.

Dear Harry,

I am your grandfather, Lord Charlus Potter. I am writing this letter in case James and Lily don't make it. If James and Lily die, then this letter will appear on the desk in the Lord's Study, where you found it. Anyways, to business. I died on August 17, 1981, along with my wife, your Grandmother, Dorea Black Potter, of Dragon Pox. I must tell you about several important things about the Potters and about recent events, which is why I'm writing this in the first place.

First, DO NOT TRUST DUMBLEDORE. He is not the all-powerful leader of the Light that he claims to be. In reality, he is a Dark Lord in the guise of a Light Lord. When the prophecy was made (The one he told you about was false. Real one included below), he advised James and Lily to go into hiding. I offered them Potter Manor, but the bastard, with the use of confoundus charms, convinced them that Potter Manor was not safe, as the wards were weak and it would be the "obvious place" to hide. As if! Only allies know about Potter Manor and where it is, and the wards are stronger and more ancient than Hogwarts' wards. In fact, Potter Manor's first wards were laid down by Merlin himself. The bastard Dumbledore convinced them to stay in our summer cottage in Godric's Hallow under the Fidelius Charm. That will get them killed because the wards around the cottage are rudimentary at best. It seems Dumbledore won that round.

Secondly, you need to charge and assume full control of the wards. I know, you don't know how to. Just go into the ward room off of this study and put a drop of blood on the stone. You may want to add some new wards as you see fit, like an anti-Dark Wizard ward, or an intent ward. You will find the spells needed in the Potter Library. Just point your wand at the stone and cast the spell at it. Or, if it is rune based, carve the runes onto the stone.

Third, get our wills read. There are four, mine, Dorea's, James', and Lily's. Also inquire about Horcruxes. It will be essential to taking down Voldemort. I went to Hogwarts at the same time as him and heard him asking Slughorn (The Potions Master at that time) about them. Also, four portraits are in the small room behind the library. They are portraits of us. Move them to the sitting room and activate them with the spell Excitant.

Finally, if you haven't already, take your titles and take your role in the Wizengamot when you are 15. You may also have to take an abilities test and bloodline test. This will not appear on the test, but you have the potential to become a Mage. It is like a Sorcerer, but much more specialized. You will probably become a Creature Mage, some sort of Elemental Mage, a Battle Mage, or some other obscure type of Mage like a Grey Mage or Light Mage. It requires a Merlin power level of 900 or higher, a mate/wife, a wide array of abilities like Parseltongue or Animagus, and intense training in things like Battle Magic, Creature Magic, Animagi, and such. If James didn't go into hiding, he could have been an Animagus/Animal Mage, since he was an Animagus. I myself was a Battle Mage and I fought against both Grindewald and Voldemort. I was even more powerful than Dumbledore, who is a Grand Sorcerer, which is a low ranking Sorcerer with limited abilities. Grindewald and Voldemort are both Dark Mages, so beware. I will tell you more once you get around to reading the Wills and activating the portrait.

Sincerely and with love,

Charlus John Potter

Harry was stunned. He expected a letter from his father, not his grandfather. But, he determined, since his dad and mum never came to Potter Manor, they might have left something in their personal vault at Gringotts, which he hadn't visited yet. He wouldn't need to read it anyways since their portraits were fifty feet away. The letter would just state a lot of the same things. Still, he reasoned, he should read it at some point. He would retrieve it at the Will Readings. He would activate the portraits after the Will Readings. For now, he had to make an appointment to have the Wills read in two days.

O0o0o0o0o0o

"Remind me why we're coming to Gringotts on only two day's notice? And via the Leaky Cauldron too? Couldn't we have used the private Floo in Griphook's office?", Serena asked hesitantly as they walked from the Leaky Cauldron to Gringotts.

"Serena, dear, we need to get the Potter Wills read. They apparently can only be read when I reach 16 or when they are unsealed, since Dumbledore sealed them after my parents died. The visit today nearly fulfills the 16 age requirement, which would be in two days, and the unsealing came after Dumbledore got deposed two days ago. The soonest I could get them read was on today, Saturday. The second reason is to sort out the Dumbledore and Weasley business. Their money was taken back yesterday and Griphook told me to come because of an idea he had. The reason we Flooed into the Leaky Cauldron is actually because of two things- We need to be seen in public and because I need us to see the new Potter Corporation stores, which we will see when we get near Gringotts." he told her as they strolled down the alley amidst people crowding around to get a glimpse of them.

"I managed to acquire several prime spots that were empty right in front of Gringotts. It helped that I own part of Gringotts. Coincidentally, it is in the Square and beside Fred and George's shop. That will help our business quite a bit. The grand opening is in a few days, or so Draco told me. Look, the stores are almost done." He pointed at them as they neared Gringotts. The workers were busy setting up display cases, installing electricity, shielding the store from magic, and a host of other things. "When it opens, it is going to be the first and only stores on the Alley with electricity! I, or more accurately Draco, got the shielding spells from a firm in Japan that makes magically shielded electronics. So far, the only countries to combine magic and technology are the Magical United States, which consists of thirty-five independent magical states similar to our country's territories (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland), the Magical Eastern Asian Empire, which encompasses eastern Asia, and Magical Japan, which split from Magical Eastern Asia a few years ago, and soon us too.", he finished with pride.

They entered Gringotts and made their way to the nearest teller, which was again Goldfang. "Goldfang, we need to see Sharpscythe from Inheritance and Griphook, my Account Manager."

Goldfang smirked. "About time you got those Wills read, Lord Potter. Sharpscythe's office is down that hallway", he pointed to one of the many hallways, "In inheritance. It is the third one on the left, marked with his name. You know where Griphook resides, but there is a shortcut Goldfang can tell you about to eliminate the need to walk the long distance."

They quickly made their way to Goldfang's office and entered. "Goldfang, may your vaults flow with gold and your enemies fall at your feet."

"And may your enemies cower before your might and may your endless vaults fill with your gold.", he said, completing the traditional greeting for meeting new goblins. "You have come to have the four wills read, I presume?"

"Yes. After that, I have some other business to deal with with Griphook.", Harry told him.

"Well, in that case, I will read the Wills now. First is the Will of one Charlus John Potter:

_**The Last Will and Testament of Charlus John Potter**_

_**I, Lord Charlus John Potter, being sound of body and mind, hereby declare this to be my Last Will and Testament. All other Wills before and after this are considered null and void.**_

_**I hereby decree that in the event of my death the Potter Estate and the Gryffindor Estate is to go to Dorea Black Potter. If she is deceased, I leave it to James Charlus Potter and Lily Evans Potter. In the circumstances of their deaths, it is to go to Harry James Potter.**_

_**To Alastor Moody, I leave my Auror equipment, my Auror books, and one million galleons. You were always a good colleague and partner.**_

_**To Lady Amelia Bones, I leave my Auror awards and medals and one million galleons. You were a good colleague also.**_

_**To Lord Cygnus Greengrass, I leave my collection of Dark Artifacts, our prank journals, and one million galleons. You were a good friend. I still remember the good old days, when we used to prank the Slytherins, Tom in particular.**_

_**To Lord Durai Patil, I leave my personal library, my artifacts from other countries, and one million galleons. You were a god friend and fellow politician.**_

_**To Harry James Potter, I leave all my other possessions and artifacts. I hope you can defeat Voldemort, Harry. I believe in you.**_

_**Signed,**_

_**Charlus John Potter**_

_**August 17, 1981**_

Harry wept after reading the Will. He wished that he had gotten to meet his Grandparents. It saddened him that they died of Dragon Pox a year after he was born. His grandfather sounded like a great man. Also, to have the nerve to prank Voldemort? He was unbelievable! He composed himself and picked up the next one.

_**The Last Will and Testament of Dorea Black Potter**_

_**I, Lord Dorea Black Potter, hereby declare this to be my Last Will and Testament. All other Wills before and after are to be considered null and void.**_

_**I hereby decree that, in the event of my death, all my possesions are to go to Charlus John Potter. If he predeceases me, I leave it to James Charlus Potter and Lily Evans Potter. In the circumstances of their deaths, it is to go to Harry James Potter.**_

_**To Madam Amelia Bones, I leave my personal library and one million Galleons. You were my best friend, Amelia. Keep doing your job well.**_

_**To Lady Jane Greengrass, I leave my journals. You were my childhood friend, Jane. Keep going strong and support your husband.**_

_**To Sirius Black, my nephew. I leave my pranking journals. Yes, Sirius, Me and Jane pranked. Dear Charlus and Cygnus gave us a run for our money.**_

_**To Harry James Potter, I leave all my other possessions and artifacts. I hope you can defeat Voldemort, Harry. I believe in you. You can do it.**_

_**Signed,**_

_**Dorea Potter nee Black**_

_**August 17, 1981**_

So. His Grandmother and her friend were pranksters too. He could see where the Marauders got it from. He wished that he could have met her too. They sounded exactly like the perfect grandparents. He reached for the next one, his father's.

_**The Last Will and Testament of James Charlus Potter and Lily Rose Potter neé Evans**_

_**We, James Charlus and Lily Rose Potter, hereby declare this to be our Last Will and Testament. All other Wills before and after are to be considered null and void.**_

_**We hereby decree that, in the event of our death, all our possessions are to go to Harry James Potter. In the event of the dieing out of the House of Potter, we leave everything to our friends Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.**_

_**To Remus Lupin, we leave our cottage in Wales and three million Galleons. Use it to take care of yourself, Moony.**_

_**To Sirius Black, we leave our Marauder items. We know you don't need money or property, so we leave you with all of our Marauder things.**_

_**To Severus Snape, we leave our rare potions ingredients and potions equipment. We know that you are good at heart, Sev.**_

_**To Arthur Weasley, we leave all of our muggle things and books. We hope you can learn more about muggles, Arthur. We also leave you a request to teach Harry all you know from your days as an Unspeakable. Also, deal with your wife. She is stealing all of your money and your lordships. Yes, Arthur, money and lordships.**_

_**To Frank and Alice Longbottom, we leave our Auror memorabilia and our collection of rare plants. We hope you can take care of them.**_

_**To Neville Longbottom, we leave three million Galleons and our pictures of Frank and Alice from our days in Hogwarts. You are our favorite godson, Neville.**_

_**To Peter Abbott, Cygnus Greengrass, Durai Patil, Amelia Bones, and Augusta Longbottom, we leave our well wishes and the Potter, Desamond, Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw proxies in the Wizengamot and the Council. We know none of you need money, and regret that we never joined the Wizengamot alongside you, but we wish you well in the future and urge you to take care of Harry and make sure he is raised lovingly.**_

_**To Albus Dumbledore, some advice- Stop stealing from us and manipulating our lives. We lost our live because of you, you bastard.**_

_**To Harry James Potter, we leave the rest of our possessions, the Potter Estate, the Desamond Estate, the Gryffindor Estate, and the Ravenclaw Estate. We hope you can defeat Voldemort, son. We were rich and we now pass it all on to you. Use it wisely, son. You might want to check Potter Manor for a few other things. We never got to claim the Lordships and Seats on the Wizengamot and the Council, but we leave those to you to change the Wizarding World for the better.**_

_**In the event of our deaths, Harry is to go to the following people, in order-**_

_**Sirius Black**_

_**Remus Lupin**_

_**Frank and Alice Longbottom**_

_**Amelia Bones**_

_**Durai Patil**_

_**Cygnus Greengrass**_

_**Peter Abbott**_

_**Andromeda Tonks**_

_**Severus Snape**_

_**Minerva McGonagall**_

_**Narcissa Black (if she divorces with Lucius and takes a Vow to not teach Harry blood supremacy or harm him in any way)**_

_**Any member of the Longbottom Family**_

_**Any member of the Bones Family**_

_**Any member of the Patil Family**_

_**Any member of the Greengrass Family**_

_**Any member of the Tonks Family**_

_**Any member of the Desamond Family, if one can be found.**_

_**Any magical family firmly on the Light side, exempting Dumbledore, Prewett, and Weasley.**_

_**UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS HARRY TO GO TO THE DURSLEY MUGGLE FAMILY. EVER. IF ALBUS DUMBLEDORE PLACES HIM THERE, WE GIVE OUR PROXIES THE AUTHORITY TO DECLARE BLOOD FEUD ON HIM.**_

_**Signed,**_

_**James Charlus Potter **_

_**Lily Rose Evans Potter **_

_**October 30, 1981**_

Harry was mildly surprised. He already expected a lot of the bequests in the Will to be what they were. However, Arthur Weasley, an Unspeakable? He'd have to see about that. Also, the long list of people was surprising. He assumed that, since it was during a time of war, such things were necessary. He had known he was not to go to the Dursleys. Them knowing about Dumbledore and the Weasleys was a surprise. If they had, why hadn't they gone to Potter Manor? It was probably because they didn't want Dumbledork to become suspicious. That bastard! Getting his parents killed like that!

"Serena, let's go. I'm done reading these. I'll take them home and see ablut some of the things on here.", Harry said, wanting to get back to Potter Manor and find the portraits of his parents and grandparents.

"Sure, but we need to get some books first.", Serena said as she puled him and Damien towards the bookstore. "I need to read up on politics and the Wizengamot, and our library is sorely lacking on those subjects."

o0o0o0o0o0o

A/N- Sorry, I'm busy right now, what with school and all. I will post every tenish days. Please Folow, Favorite, Review, recommend to others. Also, if you don't like it, don't read it.

Next Chapter- Birthdays and Portraits (and a plot twist)


	19. Birthday Party and the Potter Portraits

A/N- I don't have much to say. Same disclaimer as always. Please PM me with ideas and look at the forums. Follow, fav, review. If you don't like it, don't read it.

A/N 2- I can't put the reviews off any longer. To those that like it, thanks. To those that bash my fic, there are hundreds more out there! Just read another one, if you don't like my modest work! I have a few responses to certain reviews-

GL- I will try to make it not a cliché. Thanks.

ShellyKids- He is 7 in this fic.

Babygirl2667- You made a huge point. I finally realized that not everyone has to like it. I'm a perfectionist, and if some people don't like it, I get frustrated. I will follow your advice and make it so that the majority like it, and not try for absolute perfection, as that is impossible.

RereMcFluffles- You made a point. Please PM me some suggestions to improve the characters. Remember, the first fourteen or so chapters were not written by me!

Snarry4life- I love your suggestions! I redeemed Snape, though I'm not sure about the whole adopted family thing. He may be a mentor character, though. Also, I now realize that I should not make my story in someone elses image; rather in my own. I should make it my own. Please PM me with further suggestions!

Plums- I now realize it after some research, so I made Arthur an Unspeakable and the Prewett twins the marauders, Molly's younger brothers.

Triforcevita- I don't care. I notice you don't have any written stories. That means that you are not aware that all authors have some things that they must change to fit their "style". I must change some characters to fit my style. Would you write bad things about a character you like? No. Nobody would. In a PM I got a few weeks ago, a person was cursing me out for "not making that slut Granger the bad person for once". I made the same point, and asked him if he would write about how bad slash is, which apparently is something he likes. The profanity and PMs stopped pretty quickly after that.

Kankuro236- read the response above. Again, same point.

Now, finally to the story! Again, I don't own Harry Potter. I'm pretty sure JK Rowling isn't a boy and isn't 14.

_Chapter 19- Portraits and Birthdays_

"I just can't deal with it. I have so many things to do, and in such a short amount of time. I have no time for you or Damien. I've rarely took the time to be with Damien, and we may be married, but we've only been alone two or three times in the month that we've been married, and only one of those was to talk! I don't even have any time to spend with anyone! To make matters worse, I have classes half the day and politics the other half and now I'm getting more because of the political situation! I can't deal with it!", Harry blew off some steam as he left Gringotts with his family.

"The last one was before meeting my parents, and we didn't talk much. I think you should lighten up your load, Harry. You need to spend some time living life and being a teenager while we're still young. Spend some time with me and Damien, yes, but also spend some time with the others just being kids for once. Dumbledore forced you to grow up, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have the opportunity to live life. Goofing off, not having a care in the world, doing homework, having true friends, not being in the spotlight, and finding a girlfriend should be what a normal teenager should have to worry about. However, since half of those are impossible now, I guess you'll just have to take some time to really _get to know_ some people. Me, for instance. Honestly, we've only been in bed together once and that was consummating our marriage!", she told him forcefully, making it clear that he would be doing the things she said.

Reddening at the last bit, he replied meekly, "Yes dear. Whatever you way, dear." And he had thought most vampires were supposed to be hopelessly romantic! The real reason he had been sleeping in a separate bed all month was not because he "needed to work late and didn't want to disturb her sleep", it was honestly because he was not sure if he was ready to be married! Sure, he went through the motions, but he in reality was unsure of himself.

It seemed like she was reading his mind, for she hugged him and told him, "You need to be sure of yourself, Harry, whether it's being married or leading a group against Dumbledore. You can do it, Harry. You just need to not be so unsure of yourself and stop being so noble and modest. How is not being sure of yourself going to help you defeat Dumbledore and Voldemort? I need you to be more confident, not like you were when meeting my parents, but as sure of yourself as you were when you took down Dumbledore at the Wizengamot.", She hugged him again, ignoring Damien and Harry's embarrassed and pained looks.

They suddenly noticed that they were in front of Flourish and Blotts and that it now sported the PC logo on the doors. "Draco told me that all stores I own have this logo on the doors", Harry informed Serena while walking in as if he owned the place, which he technically did. They immediately caught the attention of almost every patron, who looked at them with mixtures of awe, jealousy, or calculating looks. The manager immediately noticed them and ran up to them.

"Lord Potter, what can your servant do for you today?", the manager asked humbly. It didn't escape the other people's notice that the manager completely deferred to Harry since he owned the place.

"I need every book that you have on politics, houses, pureblood tradition, and family history. I will also need a copy of every book you have from after 1978, since my library is lacking on books from after that time. My wife and I need them in the next few hours, since we need to read up on the subjects.", Harry stated in a near-perfect imitation of pureblood arrogance, but not as arrogant and superior-sounding. It clearly made his authority visible while not sounding overly arrogant or aristocratic.

"Of course my lord, I will have them delivered to Potter Manor in an hour, lets see... the price is normally 5000 galleons for all the books in the store we have from after 1978 but I will make it 1000 since you own the store, Lord Potter.", the manager said as he totaled up the cost of the more than 3000 books they had in the store that Potter Manor didn't have. (since most of them were new versions from after 1978, when the library was updated last.) "Also, separately, the books you specifically asked for will be 200 Galleons, but it will be 50 for you, Lord Potter."

Harry pulled out his debit card. "Please, Tiberius, for the sake of good business for this store, I insist on paying the full amount. Otherwise my investments would go down, would they not? It will be profitable for us both if you allow me to pay in full", Harry smoothly interjected, not wanting to get a discount just because he owned the store.

"OK, but I insist on giving you free delivery to your manor! Also, you and anyone with you gets a discount!", the manager insisted while swiping the debit card and magically conjuring a list of the books they bought.

"Fine, but only if you rewire the store with electricity and PC items. Electric lights will help with brightness, plus, they can be attached onto the ceiling. Also, a computer system and catalog would help you manage the store and take inventory a lot more efficiently.", Harry informed him while smirking. "I intend for all the stores in the Alley to be remodeled by next year. Your store will be the standard for other stores to follow. I will provide all the materials necessary to remodel the store. Your store will soon be the premier and largest bookstore in all of Wizarding Britain, as we will also make better use of space with Muggle bookshelves."

"That sounds great! It will be profitable for both of us, so why not?", the manager said, nearly jumping up and down in excitement. He knew what Muggle technology could do, being Muggleborn himself. "When can we start?"

What followed was them making plans or the renovation of the store and some negotiating on how much it would cost. Harry was willing to do it for free, but the manager insisted on paying at least half of the amount needed.

After leaving the bookstore, they visited the rapidly finishing new PC shops in the square, which were going to be opening sometime in August. Harry talked with the foreman a bit, asking him this and that about how the store would look. Most of the stores ended up being modeled after Muggle stores selling the same thing. Most noticeable was the similarity between the Technology shops and Apple or Microsoft stores in the Muggle world. There were glass windows all over the place, showing off futuristic architecture from the Muggle world for what it really was. By the time they left, it was nearly dark and they really needed to go back to Potter Manor.

O0o0o0o0o0o

"I found them! They were in a sealed room behind a bookshelf of recent Family History! It seems to be a secret room for storage of old and extremely rare books... But the portraits are here!", Serena shouted to Harry as they were looking for the secret room off the Potter Library. Harry rushed over so fast that he could have been Apparating to Serena's side.

"Where? Where are they? I don't see them.", Harry rambled, dashing around the small room, searching behind rare tomes, Grimoires, bookshelves, and the like.

"Here, you silly. It seems to be an artwork vault that is about as big as a door but wider. Anyways, it requires the blood of the current Potter Lord to open. Try and see if it opens.", she stated exasperatedly as she dragged him to a bare wall at one side of the room. It had an indent for a hand. Harry immediately pressed his hand into the indent and the door clicked open.

"We finally found it! Serena, dear, help me carry these to the Portrait Room.", Harry excitedly said, trying to lift the heavy portraits by himself.

O0o0o0o0o0o

"Excitant!", Harry incanted as he pointed his wand at the portraits of his parents and grandparents. The portraits immediately started slowly moving. He worked with Serena to hang them on the wall in their places. Finally, a minute later, they fully activated and they smiled down at them.

"I see that you found my letter, Harry. Care to tell us some more about the current situation?", his grandfather asked after the extremely emotional greetings and introductions were over.

"Well, it all started when Dumbledore placed me with the Dursleys when Mum and Dad died...", Harry managed to say before he was promptly interrupted by two shouts.

"DUMBLEDORE PLACED YOU WITH MY BLOODY SISTER? I WILL HAVE HIS HEAD FOR THIS!", Lily screamed.

"Son, did you or our proxy declare Blood Feud against him? We gave the necessary authority in our Will for a Blood Feud if that bastard ever put us there. Hell, we put at least twenty other people you should have gone to before them! That bloody bastard!", James spoke out calmly, but everyone knew he was murderous with rage.

"To answer your question, Dad, yes, I did declare Blood Feud on him, and not only that, but I also managed to politically ruin him! I don't know how, but I used my amazing political skills to completely change the people's opinion of Dumbledore AND get him stripped of all his positions in less than three hours! Is that amazing or what?", Harry answered with not a little bit of humor.

James sat down with a look of awe on his face. "Son, you crushed Dumbledore? The most invincible politician in a century? You make the Potter line extremely proud. You may have just struck the winning blow in the war between the Dumbledores and the Potters that has been going on for centuries."

Harry was confused. "War? What war?"

Charlus Potter interrupted. "I may be able to explain that, as I was a major player in that war. The Dumbledores and the Potters have been enemies for almost 500 years, ever since the Dumbledore family came into existence. Our family philosophies are completely opposite, with them believing in Blood Purity, while we have married Muggleborns, other creatures such as Vampires, and Half-bloods. I believe you have a Vampire as a mate, right?" Seeing Serena's nod, he continued. "That is the total opposite of what the Dumbledores do. They have a habit of marrying powerful Purebloods. They have been the leaders of the Purebloodists, while the Potters have been the leaders of the Reformists/Light side since around 1200, when we became the de facto leaders of the Wizarding World. They have been trying to wipe us out for centuries, and are far from succeeding."

Harry was confused and grateful at the same time. "What do you mean? I was the last Potter until a few weeks ago. How could they be far from succeeding?"

Charlus and Dorea laughed. "You see, back when I was young, my father broke the historical Potter curse of only having one kid and had five children. The four younger ones were sent to America, where I believe they took on the assumed name Hunter. I believe that succesive generations have expanded the family since, last I heard, they all had at least three heirs each. I believe that their families have risen into prominence in Magical America. I also sent James' younger sisters and brothers there to join them to expand the Potter line. James and Lily only had you when they died, but Lily was pregnant with a girl when she died. So continues the Potter line.", he finished off with a flourish.

James grumbled. "I never met my younger siblings. They were sent away at birth. Son, you must reunite the extended family and present a united front in the war. It should prove useful. Also, search for the Blacks in America and Asia. They should also come in handy. We did not include them in our wills since we have no knowledge of their status except what we can gain from American newspapers. Now, please continue with your fascinating life story. OW!"

James dodged another blow from Lily. "Don't you dare grumble about our family to our son! He is a teenager and does not want to hear your complaints. Now, Harry, please continue.", she smiled at him and beckoned him to continue.

Harry grudgingly continued. "Sure, but please ask questions at the end. Also, don't interrupt me. I want to get this over with. Now. My life continued with the Dursleys treating me as their slave until my eleventh birthday..."

o0o0o0o0o0o

_3 hours later..._

"... and now I find myself the richest and most powerful person in Britain with a lovely wife and an adorable son. Granted, I was unwilling and not ready for it until a few hours ago, when Serena forcefully reordered my priorities. She very forcefully told me that she will make sure I actually live a life, including... being intimate with her", he finished, red faced and blushing at the last part.

"Harry, from what I hear, you are quite the ladies man. You can't be so shy that you can't go out with a girl?", James asked, surprise evident on his face.

"Actually, I never had a girlfriend before Serena... well, if you count Cho then... but that didn't work out...", Harry muttered ashamedly.

"Another thing Dumbledore will have to ask for. You're woefully lacking in self-confidence and thinking things through so you won't get killed.", Lily stated extremely angrily. "Now, what was that about a Basilisk and the Triwizard?"

o0o0o0o0o0o

_Later that night..._

"Well, Harry, ready for bed?", Serena purred seductively.

"Umm... uhhhh...", harry mumbled incoherently from where he was standing.

"Come on, we don't have all night.", Serena said as she forced him into the bed. "Now, here's what we are going to do. I am going to give a complete overview of having sexual intercourse, complete with practical demonstrations..."

_(lemon omitted)_

o0o0o0o0o0o

_July 31st, 8:00 AM_

Harry groaned as he got out of the empty bed. Serena had spent the whole night teaching him about sexual relationships. He was still sore from all the touching and the sex. Merlin, Serena was good at that sort of stuff! He wondered what he had done to deserve such pleasure and such a lovely and sexy wife. He vaguely remembered that it was his birthday, and supposed that Serena must have wore him out so she could prepare for his birthday party. Why wasn't she sore and tired too? Must have used a time turner. As he got dressed, he wondered what they were going to do. Most likely hold a surprise party.

Oh well. The cat was out of the bag, so he should put on a convincing performance. Constant Vigilance, like Moody kept pounding into his head during all those damned lessons. Or maybe act surprised. Yes. That was it. Act surprised. He was a terrible actor. He quickly finished preparing as he thought about the 'surprise' that they had in store for him.

O0o0o0o0o0o

SUPRISE!", everyone yelled as Harry came down the stairs. Harry looked surprised, all right. He whipped out his wand and had a nasty curse on his lips when Moody put his hand on his shoulder to prevent him from completing the curse.

"Aye, I see that I've taught you well. Always have CONSTANT VIGILANCE!", Moody told him, making everyone jump with the last part. "Anyways, kid, Happy Birthday. Sweet sixteen, hmm?"

The party quickly started, and Harry was engulfed in people wishing him a happy birthday. They had food, cake, and lots of things to do. Harry saw people he hadn't seen in a long time, like Oliver Wood, his former maniac Quidditch Captain. He talked with people about how they were doing, how he was, all that, but he deliberately avoided the topic of what he was doing this summer. All he said was, "I'm quite busy this summer". It was also a party for Neville, since his birthday was the previous day.

He saw Susan Bones and Daphne Greengrass approaching him. "Happy Birthday, Harry. How are you?", Susan asked.

"I'm OK. Lessons are really boring, but bearable. I'm working on the solution to the Hogwarts problem.", Harry told them.

"Harry, this is your party. You shouldn't be talking about stuff like that now! You should be having fun, living life!", Daphne exclaimed. The girls then dragged him outside unwillingly then hurled him into the pool after transfiguring his clothes. He floated up, sputtering.

"What was that for?", he asked, indignant. Sure, it was fun, but there were other people in the pool!

"We want you to live a life. Have fun for once!", they both told him.

"But I did have fun! I had sex with Serena last night! I'm still sore!", he wined. One of the things Serena had pounded into his head was to not feel awkward when discussing sex with other teens. Now he knew why.

The two girls gasped. "Finally!", they chorused. "We've been waiting for Serena to straighten you out." The girls then rushed off, presumably to talk to his wife while he swam.

Finally, two hours later, it was time to open presents. He got a Deluxe Sneakoscope from Moody, Auror equipment from the Aurors in the crowd, lots of rare books from the bookworms like Hermione and Daphne, a photo album of his grandfather from Lord Greengrass, a mysterious Indian trinket from Lord Patil ("It helps you learn more quickly without affecting your mind"), rare plants from Neville, all sorts of exotic foods and candy from other friends, a book titled Erotic Magic from Luna, a book called Having a Vampire as a Wife- What to Expect and a rare Vampire dagger from the Ramanovs, a collection of the Marauder's Journals from Remus, a Vampire staff to help with Vampire Magic from his teachers, a deluxe 7-compartment trunk from Amelia and Susan, and a host of other things from various people. Most astounding, however, was the Lightningbolt broom with his name engraved on it from Serena, the former and current Gryffindor Quidditch Team, and all his friends.

"What's this broom? The Bolt Company made a new broom named after me?", Harry asked, amused.

Oliver stepped forward to give an explanation. "We all pooled together to get you the very first Lightningbolt broom ever. It's just a prototype, but it is still high quality. The broom comes out in November, since they are making more. We had to pay a heck lot of money, but it was worth it. It's way better than the Firebolt and it's out of the league of even the Nimbus 3000, which just came out. Your owning the company helped. Their only condition was that you supply all your Quidditch teams that you own with Firebolts, including Puddlemere and endorse this line of brooms with your name, hence the name of the broom. Most Quidditch teams, including Puddlemere, currently have Nimbus 2001s.", he finished wryly.

Harry was amazed. "You got a Lightningbolt broom just for me? I could hug you guys! I'll order 7 Firebolts for Puddlemere tomorrow first thing. After all, can't have the official team of Harry Potter on Nimbus brooms, even though I own Nimbus."

The whole Puddlemere team had come, including the coach, and they were amazed at Harry's generosity. "Wow. You'd actually endorse our team?", Oliver said in shock.

"Yeah. After all, you haven't lost a game since last year!", Harry exclaimed.

The Puddlemere coach stepped forward. "Harry, Oliver's told me how great of a Seeker you are. In exchange for your generosity, I will do a thing which nobody has done before. Our reserve Seeker recently transferred to the Appleby Arrows, so I'd like to make you our official reserve Seeker. From what I've heard, I won't regret it. Heck, you even coined two moves! The Potter Puke and the Potter Feint! The first is Harry catching the snitch in his mouth in 1991, the second is the feint he made in his game in 1993.", he told everybody.

Harry was amazed at what they did. He, the reserve Seeker of Puddlemere United? He managed to choke out a "Thank you, but wom't that interfere with school?"

The coach laughed. "Of course not. Charlie Weasley signed on as reserve with the Hogsmeade Hippogriffs in his seventh year. The matches are on weekends, and they don't conflict with Hogwarts games. Best of all, Puddlemere will be visiting during your Hogwarts games to see how good you are this coming year, along with scouts from other teams. The difference is that our whole team will be going", he said, eyes mirthful.

After that, they moved on to Neville's presents. They were mostly the same, except instead of a broom he got a scholarship to study Herbology at Salem Magical College in the States. All in all, it was a good party until a special edition of the Quibbler Daily News arrived for everyone. Harry relieved the owls of their burdens. He unfurled the unusually thin newspaper and glanced at the headline, as did everyone else with theirs.

_**Albus Dumbledore Escapes Ministry Custody!**_

_**By Xeno Lovegood**_

Mass fear and pandemonium erupted.

o0o0o0o0o0

A/N- Please Follow, Fav, and Review! I will have a new, original story up soon called The Worlds Collide. Please take a look and let me know what you think! Also, if you review, please do not do so anonymously. I loathe anonymous bashers, since they always have the final word and they are too cowardly to do it while logged in. Even I have enough courage to bash stories while logged in, those cowards.


	20. Daphne's Ball and Dumbledore's Escape

Disclaimer- I still don't own Harry Potter.

A/N- As I said, I will be posting on this story a little less because I am starting a new crossover story. I will mainly be concentrating on that one, though I will also be finishing this one.

_Previously on Dumbledore's Royal Screw Up..._

"_...All in all, it was a good party until a special edition of the Quibbler Daily News arrived for everyone. Harry relieved the owls of their burdens. He unfurled the unusually thin newspaper and glanced at the headline, as did everyone else with theirs. _

_**Albus Dumbledore Escapes Ministry Custody!**_

_**By Xeno Lovegood**_

_Mass fear and pandemonium erupted."_

Chapter 20- The Emergency Wizengamot Session and the Greengrass Ball

Harry stepped up and got everyone calmed down. "Enough.", he said. "We need to read the article and then decide on what to do. Running around like idiotic sheep will not do any good." That shut everyone up. They read the article in silence.

_**Albus Dumbledore Escapes Ministry Custody!**_

_**By Xeno Lovegood**_

_ We at the Daily Quibbler are sad to inform you of the escape of Albus Dumbledore from Ministry custody. The former Headmaster, former Chief Warlock, former Supreme Mugwump, and recently uncovered Dark Lord and petty thief has somehow used wand-less magic to overcome the wards on his cell and escaped last night. Efforts are being made to recapture him, but he has disappeared completely, but has not left Britain, as Magical Britain is in lockdown and no magical person may enter or depart. He is extremely dangerous, and if you see him, do not attempt to capture him; rather call the Auror office.. If he is not caught, he could join the Dark Lord Voldemort, and Wizarding Britain would fall quickly under the two Dark Lords._

_-Xeno Lovegood_

_For more on the life of Dumbledore, turn to Page 2_

_For a history of the Ancient House of Dumbledore, Page 3._

Luna spoke up. "My father included a message in my copy. It seems that there is more that the papers did not include. Ron and Ginny are to attend Hogwarts under an anonymous donor, most likely a Dumbledore loyalist. The three's debts have been paid off to Harry from another anonymous person. Also, the goblins have dropped the charges because Dumbledore has willingly taken the responsibility for their actions onto himself. He just wants a spy in Hogwarts.", she finished disgustedly. She then turned back to her piece of cake and kept eating as if nothing had happened.

Harry was surprised. Ron and Ginny attending Hogwarts? He'd have to be extra careful this year. Or maybe he could just challenge them to a Blood Duel if they did something wrong. He smiled at the thought of using some of the new magic he learned to torture them and then slowly kill them in the most painful way possible. It would be great fun if he got the chance. He then used his Occclumency to calm himself as he got up.

"Friends", he said, "We must present a united front in the face of this growing danger. We must remain united to take Dumbledore and Riddle down. It has been a long day, so I suggest you all return home and get some rest before tomorrow, which will undoubtedly be busy, as I myself have a ball and a Wizengamot meeting to attend. Good night to all of you. Oh, and can the members of Lunem, the Lords of the Wizengamot, and the Council stay behind please? Serena will brief Lunem while I brief the Wizengamot and Council members." He walked to the back of the room, where the long table was being cleaned and polished by a team of house elves.

After a few minutes, when the Wizengamot members and Council members had convened, he began. "Friends and Allies, we must now find allies more urgently than ever. Since Dumbledore escaped, we must find more allies and start pushing through the legislation we have been preparing. I suggest each of you present a bill so that we do not appear like a large faction; rather several smaller ones.

For the light-oriented families such as Bones, Longbottom, Abbott, Potter, and Weasley, you will try to ally with the following houses: Bagman, Brown, Cresswell, Crouch, Diggory, Fortescue, Lupin, Lovegood, Podmore, Scrimgeour, Shacklebolt, Smith, Brown, Taylor, Johnson, Walker, Wright, Robinson, White, Green, Wood, Harris, Adams, Rogers, Hunter, and Webster.

Neutral such as Greengrass, Zabini, Davis, Lovegood, and Patil, you will approach the Alderton, Bagshot, Belby, Bobbin, Boot, Davies, Dawlish, Fawcett, Fudge, Goshawk, Hopkins, Jordan, Macdonald, Macdougal, Macmillan, McLaggen, Ollivander, Radcliffe, Watson, Parker, Richardson, Chang, and Li. "Dark" families such as Black, Desamond, and LeFey will go make allies with families such as Nott, Bulstrode, Carrow, Yaxley, Rosier, Runcorn, Uruquart, and Bruke.

Secondly, we need to prepare for the upcoming school year. Each of you have a position on the Board of Governors, Potter Corp Board, or some other position in one of my estates. You will need to work with others to make changes before September. Changes will include outfitting Hogwarts and other locations with MagiTech and MagiCell equipment, erecting Potter Security Protections on a variety of locations, the grand opening of the PC stores to the public, and overhauling both the Wizengamot and the

Third, Hermione, you will need to start appearing as Sophia Black. We have a new plan. Aurors polyjuiced as you and your parents will be at your house in October. You will break in and kill and torture them. Mind you, not actually kill, but using that spell you mentioned. That will root you firmly into your Sophia Black persona. Also, we have secretly made the Houses of Lestrange, Gaunt, and Morgana Noble. You will claim these seats as Sophia Black. You will be sent in earlier than expected, because of the plan. You will be inducted in late September and will go through with the plan to kill and torture Aurors disguised as you and your family in early October. We will make more plans soon. That is all; thank you for staying. Good night."

He collapsed into the chair and sat there as the rest filed out. He was a natural leader, but he was not used to leading a war. He already was working with Draco, his tactician, on plans, sub-plans, and backup plans. There were so many of them that his head hurt. And now Dumbledore had to escape. Well, at least he did not have his wand. The Goblins had been examining his wand and discovered that it was the Elder Wand, and the source of Dumbledore's unnatural power. Without it, he was just an above average, abeit powerful, wizard that would be easy to take down. Also, with them searching for the Horcruxes, and the Diary and the one in his head destroyed, Voldemort was missing a good half of his magical core. The one in his body was around 1/128 or 1/256 of his soul, it depended whether he had made his snake a Horcrux. Which he probably had. Harry shuddered. Who would do such a thing to their soul? The Goblins had also found that his Invisibility Cloak was a Hollow, along with the stone on the ring they had confiscated from Dumbledore and, after they had extracted the soul from it, the Stone and Wand were now his. Now, his Magical Power was close to that of Merlin's. 'Poetic, that a man meets his end by his own wand', he thought to himself. He would use this wand to take down both Dumbledore and Voldemort.

Eventually, his brain was tired of thinking of such things and he stumbled upstairs to find his wife, naked, already waiting for him in bed. This was going to be a fun night.

O0o0o0o0o0o

Harry stumbled down the stairs as he tried to put on his Wizengamot robes and go down at the same time. He had had a fun night, but it was time for business. He had a meeting to go to and a Ball to attend in the afternoon. He saw the rest of his friends already at breakfast and debating what the emergency Wizengamot meeting would achieve. He joined them and joined in on the conversation. "The only thing the meeting will get done is make Dumbledore number two most wanted and enact some Muggle Technology laws", he interrupted. "I was the one that called the meeting. Well, Lord Patil called it, but you get the idea. Now, shall we get on with breakfast?"

Neville also spoke up. "Harry, it turns out that I am the heir to the Ambrosius name, which means I am Merlin's Heir. I also found that Susan is Hufflepuff's Heir. My parents are recovering, so when they recover, I will cede the Lord Longbottom title to my father and take up Merlin's. Of course, I will still occupy the Longbottom council seat. I will be doing the transfer at the meeting. Since Susan cannot occupy two seats at once, she will make Serena the proxy for Bones, the first time somebody has ever done so."

Serena agreed. "It will also give vampires a say on the Wizengamot. This is unexpected, but that means I can push through pro-vampire legislation earlier and eradicate vampire hunting. It will have a great many advantages in the future."

Harry spoke up again. "Serena, why are you deathly pale? Are you sick? Should I get a Healer to look at you?", he asked, concerned.

Serena sighed. "I was hoping to have that problem solved sooner, but oh well. I have been out in the sun too much, and the sunlight shield I developed can only do so much. I will have to stay out of sunlight until I can develop a more effective shield. Also, I have been drinking animal blood since we got here, and that is making me weak. For some reason, when the synthetic blood we usually drink is transported out of the dimensional bubble, it goes bad and spoils. I need a source of fresh, human blood, and if I do not, I will be sick by next week."

Harry sadly said, "If you just asked me than I could have donated blood. I thought up to now you were drinking that synthetic blood I saw in the palace. Also, I am making you stay in Potter Manor or the Wizengamot Chambers until you or another spell crafter can develop a more powerful shield. You could get extremely sick from the sunlight. We don't want you sick, now do we?"

Serena answered extremely gratefully. "Thanks Harry. I don't know what I would do without you now. Harry, if I drink your blood over a long period of time, you will eventually become a vampire, you know that, right? No matter whether I directly use my fangs or use a syringe to extract blood, you will eventually become a vampire. It won't happen for at least fifty years, but since you already have some characteristics like immortality, I'm interested to see if you will become one or not. It would be interesting to see what comes of me drinking your blood, but are you willing to take the risks?"

Harry nodded. "I already am essentially a vampire except for the blood and the sun part, so I am willing. Like you said, it will be interesting to see what happens. Now, let's get back to breakfast, shall we? I'll get a needle later and donate my blood, so you don't need to drink that animal blood."

They returned to breakfast, and before they knew it, only crumbs remained and they had to prepare for the Wizengamot meeting. Thank goodness the Council meeting was at Potter Manor instead of the Chambers. The Chambers could only be used for normal meetings.

O0o0o0o0o0o

"I now call this emergency Wizengamot session to order!", commanded Chief Warlock Patil. Slowly, the hubbub died down and everyone trickled to their seats. "Our first order of business is new Lords or Ladies. We have twenty-eight people to induct, including a former Lord. They include Frank Longbottom, who has been out of commission for fifteen years, as Lord Longbottom, Neville Longbottom as Lord Ambrosius, Susan Bones as Lady Hufflepuff, Amelia Bones as Regent Bones, Dean Thomas as Lord Thomas, Dirk Cresswell as Lord Cresswell, Penelope Clearwater as Lady Clearwater, Justin Finch-Fletchly as Lord Fleming, Daniel Radcliffe as Lord Radcliffe, Rupert Grint as Lord Gallagher, Emma Watson as Lady Watson, Tom Felton as Lord Felton, Alan Rickman as Lord Rickman, Michael Gambon as Lord Gambon, Jennifer Lawrence as Lady Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson as Lord Hutcherson..." He went on and on listing the names and Lordships. Finally, he finished listing the many new Lords and Ladies.

After they all gave their oaths and went up to their seats, (Frank being helped up by Neville and Amelia) the Chief Warlock spoke again. Our next order of business, and the most urgent one, is the matter of Albus Dumbledore. While lacking a wand, he is extremely dangerous. I put forward a motion that the Ministry focus on catching him, members of the Death Eaters, and Voldemort himself and put any unnecessary departments such as Improper Use of Magic or Magical Games and Sports on the task of wartime duties for the duration of the war. After the war, the Ministry will run like normal. All for that motion?"

Almost everyone raised their hands, except a few Department Heads and a few Lords that were either Dumbledore Loyalists or workers in said departments. "All against", he spoke. At this, nobody raised their hands.

"Motion passed. The Ministry will go into Wartime status within the week. All efforts will be made towards ending the war. Now, we have one more bill being put forward. Normally it would be put forward at the regular meeting on August 28, but this is a time-sensitive bill. It is a bill legalizing enchanting Muggle technology and inventions to work on Magic. A company called Potter Corporation has put forward the bill, since they are going to be opening many new revolutionary stores. It is the first of many bills designed to help Wizarding Britain drag itself into the late 20th century and possibly even the 21st ahead of the Muggles. A second bill that is connected to the first is a bill formally legalizing Muggle inventions and ideas being sold and worked on in our world. These bills will be voted on together."

"Let me tell you, these bills will be essential towards making Wizarding Britain the same status as the Magical United States or the Magical Asian Empire. The next will be overhauling the Wizengamot and Ministry to be democratic, then equal rights for woman and Magical Creatures and Species, and then finally equal rights for Half-bloods and Muggleborn. Actually, most Muggleborn are really descendants of squibbed out lines, as Hermione Granger demonstrated. Those will be brought forward after the War. For now, these two will also legalize Muggle weapons during wartime. I now open the floor to debate.", he finished strongly.

As the debate heated up between the large faction for Muggle integration and the old-fashioned Purebloodist faction that was smaller, the members of Lunem and the Council gathered off to one side. "Well, this is going better than I expected. The only thing we will have to watch out for is the Purebloodists.", Harry said. "Even though the entire philosophy has proven to be dragon shite, some Purebloodists are still so stubborn! We ma have to find an excuse to kick the Purebloodists out of the Wizengamot and the Ministry soon. Otherwise, they could be a problem.", he ended grimly.

The others agreed. "I am doing all I can to turn the majority of the Wizengamot against them subtly, and as far as I have seen, it is working.", Durai Patil told everyone. "Though I may be Pureblood myself, that term does not mean anything anymore, since Hermione's or Harry's blood is as pure as mine. That also has the benefit of labeling Voldemort and Dumbledore, both extreme Purebloodists, as madmen who want the world molded into their crazy vision.

Serena started speaking. "The general population has proven to be a bunch of inbred, tiny minded sheep. Even the Half-bloods. The only people who are not sheep are some Purebloods that have not interbred, such as you guys here, most half-bloods that are not from inbred families, and all Muggleborn, using the old terminology. Of course, some of the Muggleborns wield extreme power now, since there are close to fifty unclaimed seats on the Wizengamot out of a hundred seats. Last I heard, about twenty-four of them have been claimed."

"If the people marry with new blood, lost magical abilities may appear, old magic may come up, and wizards in general will be more powerful. Just look at the Tonks'. Though they did not have a seat on the Wizengamot, they have the gene required to activate the Metamorphmagus gene in the Black family. If the Blacks and Potters marry into more new blood, more genes may be activated. Harry here is a Beast Speaker and a natural Occulumens and Legilimenns, traits the Potter, Peverell, and Black families, and to a lesser degree the other Council families, were famous for as well as other lost traits such as Mages, Elementals, and Sorcerers. All were lost at the beginning of the Purebloodist rise to power. Those traits as well as others may appear soon, after the people start marrying with new blood.", she told everyone passionately.

A few minutes later, after everyone discussed the chances of getting the bills through, the recess was over. Everyone trickled back to their seats and the session began again. "I now call a vote for the bills", Lord Greengrass stood up and announced.

"Any seconders?", Durai Patil asked.

Several people stood up and seconded the call for a vote. After everyone voted, the results were tallied up and it was an overwhelming victory, 64-10, thanks to the new Muggle-raised Lords and Ladies and the Potters and their allies. The Revolutionists, as they had begun calling themselves, had reached out to the Muggle-raised people that needed training in Pureblood Customs and Law and offered to teach them all that they needed to learn about the Wizengamot. As a result, most, such as Justin Finch-Fletchly, Penelope Clearwater, Dean Thomas, and Dirk Cresswell loyal to their faction. It was useful, having those allies, particularly as they vehemently supported bringing Muggle technology into the Magical World. Most of PC was made up of Muggleborns, including the President, one Daniel Radcliffe. They were some of his staunchest allies.

After the vote, the session ended and the members of the Council crowded together to go back to Potter Manor. They went to the private Floo reserved for Wizengamot members and one by one, all Flooed to Potter Manor.

O0o0o0o0o0o

"I now call this Council meeting to order", Harry pounded on the table. "We have two things on today's agenda, and one other thing we need to go over. The first thing, and the reason we have been gathered, is the escape of Albus Dumbledore. As the motion passed to turn the Ministry to War mode, we have one more thing to go over: The repercussions of his escape."

"Now, as you know, there were several people who still believed in Dumbledore even after his arrest by the Goblins by order of the Council and the Wizengamot. This would be a minor annoyance at best, but now, the Dumbledore loyalists have been publicly shamed and ridiculed, as Dumbledore was questioned and it turns out he has manipulated Wizarding Britain ever since he was a teenager. The effect of his manipulations were two Dark Lords, Wizarding Britain being stuck in the 18th century, the rise of Purebloodism, the rise of discrimination against magical creatures, the rise of corruption in the Ministry, the end of ten or more Ancient and/or noble lines, leaving them without a recorded heir, the fall of democracy in the Ministry, many people dying, and many other things."

"Amelia and I wanted to sentence him to eternal torture for his crimes, but that would be anticlimatic to our cause. So, we have settled on using Nicholas Flamel's Sorcerer's Stone on him and making him suffer for eternity, or until he breaks. By the way, Nicholas Flamel and his wife went into hiding after the Stone was supposedly destroyed. The stone that was destroyed was a fake, since the Flamels never trusted the Dumbledores."

"The repercussions of his escape are severe. He is a master manipulator, so if he joins Voldemort, we will contact the Americans and Asians for support, as well as the ICW. If we don't, they could destroy Wizarding Britain as we know it. Them combined makes for a lethal combination. Cunning, manipulation, and insanity all together is dangerous. That is all, though at our meeting later this month there will be more.

Next is some new members. The original Council had fifteen members. Now we have eight. Seven were lost. Now, we have found three of the seven missing lines. Please welcome Justin Finch-Fletchly, Hermione Granger, Emma Watson, and Daniel Radcliffe. All also occupy their Wizengamot seats. The missing three seats are Russo, Darkov, and Paradizo. Those lines are being traced as we speak, to see if the primary heir is magical or a squib. Now, new members, please come in.", several people walked in and sat around the people. All were older teens. "As you can see, all are from the younger generation, since we felt that they represent the rest of the country better than adults. Added is the advantages of us all being able to relate. I hope we will be able to work together to solve the issues presented to us. That is all on that."

Third, Hogwarts. All of the members here will attend Hogwarts, though some will be in sixth and some will be in seventh. That is since some of us transferred from other schools in places like America. On to changes. I am overhauling Hogwarts. All of us and a few others will get private rooms with a bedroom and a private office. We will share a common room. The reason is because we need to work on a few things during school, and because we will all be doing training. We will make up the core of the Lunem fighting force, as well as a few Lunem members. We will also need protection, which will be provided in the private rooms.

Also, I fired the Divination, Muggle Studies, History of Magic, and DADA professors and have acquired new ones from the Muggle-raised population. I have also overhauled the curriculum to include several new classes including Maths, Technomancy, Technology, Writing, Wizarding Studies, Estate Management, Intro to Politics, Intro to Wizarding Jobs, Self Defence, Theory of Magic, and a few others. I have acquired professors for most of these from the Muggle-raised population, but a few of them I had to get professors from America and Australia. Most will be offered as electives but most will be required for the first two years. You will be able to choose four to six electives, since there is a large amount of free time during the day, and classes will also be shortened to an hour without double periods.

Next, Potter Corp. The first to receive PC technology will be Hogwarts. It is being outfitted with technology and electricity as we speak. Soon, the whole castle and most classes will be using electricity and technology such as computers and projectors in all classrooms to show demonstrations and such. There will also be several computer labs. Next will be Diagon Alley, or should I say, the Diagon Alley Mall. The stores in Diagon Alley are being moved to Hogsmeade while the mall is constructed. Soon, the Diagon Alley Wizarding Mall will be complete, and the shops will be able to rent or buy space. Larger spaces are reserved for PC department stores and such. Also, the mall will be much larger than the actual size of the alley, allowing more stores to open. Soon, our mall will rival the American Wizarding Mall in both quality and size. Next, Hogsmeade and Wizarding homes will be outfitted with electricity, for a cost of course. We anticipate the Diagon Alley Mall to be done by mid-August and most homes to have electricity and technology by the end of the year.", he finished smugly.

"The reason you are being told is twofold. One, as advertising. Two, because all of you have a position within Potter Corp or on the PC Board of Directors. You will also work on that as well as this. It will revolutionize the Wizarding World!", he added. "Now, this Council meeting is adjourned. I understand that most of you have a Ball to attend tonight. You will need time to prepare."

o0o0o0o0o0o

It was time for the ball. Harry was sitting in the living room, dressed in his finest dress robes after suffering extreme torture at the hands of the house elves assigned to prepare him for the ball. He was currently waiting for Hermione, Luna, and Serena with Neville and Draco, both of which were shifting uncomfortably in their seats, maintaining an awkward silence. Finally, Harry conjured a rose and the others did the same.

Five minutes later, the three girls descended the stairs, Serena taking Harry's hand, Luna Neville's, and Hermione took Draco's. 'Interesting. Never would have guessed Hermione and Draco for a couple. Must have been where Draco was always disappearing', he thought to himself. They walked to the Floo and flooed to the entrance hall of Greengrass Manor.

Once they arrived, they had to line up to go in while a herald announced them pair by pair to the "commoners" that were in attendance. First the lesser celebrities went in and got announced, then the minor Heads of House, then the major celebrities, then finally it was their turn. Several other Lords and Ladies got introduced before them. Finally, near the end, Hermione and Draco prepared to enter.

"Presenting Lady Hermione Granger, Lady LeFey, Lady Dagworth-Granger of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of LeFey and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Dagworth-Granger! Escorting him is Draco Black of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black.", the herald announced.

After that, a few more couples, then it was Neville and Luna.

"Presenting Lady Luna Lovegood, Lady Lovegood of the Ancient and Noble House of Lovegood! Escorting her is Lord Neville Longbottom, Lord Ambrosius of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Ambrosius!", the herald announced.

After that was Lord and Lady Patil, Lord and Lady Abbott, Susan and Justin, Amelia and Arthur (What? They were in a relationship?), Lord and Lady Davis, Lord and Lady Nott, and a few others. Finally, second to last, they were called.

"Presenting Princess Lady Serena Potter-Ramanov, Princess and Heiress to the Ramanov Vampire Throne, Lady Potter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter, Lady Black of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, Lady Desamond of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Desamond, Lady Slytherin of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin, Lady Ravenclaw of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Ravenclaw, Lady Gryffindor of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Gryffindor, and Princess and Heiress of the Most Noble and Royal Wizarding Throne of Pendragon! Escorting her is her husband World Lord Harry James Potter, The Boy-Who-Lived, Head of the Wizarding Council of Britain, Order of Merlin, Second Class, Prince and Heir to the Ramanov Vampire Throne, Lord Potter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter, Lord Black of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, Lord Desamond of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Desamond, Lord Slytherin of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin, Lord Ravenclaw of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Ravenclaw, World Lord Gryffindor of the Most Noble and Most Ancient Elder House of Gryffindor, and Prince and Heir to the Most Noble and Royal Wizarding Throne of Pendragon!

Harry was calm on the outside while walking in with Serena, but on the inside he was flabbergasted. The House of Gryffindor was a World House? He had an Order of Merlin? How did they know about him being the Heir of Pendragon? Serena must have sensed his confusion, since, once they were seated, she whispered to him, "The parchment is magical. It shows all relevant titles. Based on what they said, they know about you being the Heir of Pendragon, you are going to get an Order of Merlin today, and the House of Gryffindor is one of the Seven World Houses. I always thought it would be Peverell, which you might be second Heir to, but for you to be World Lord Peverell, you need to actually kill Voldemort. I'll tell you more later, after I do some research."

The final couple was coming through. The trumpets sounded, and the herald announced, "Last but certainly not least, Lady Elizabeth Greengrass, Lady Greengrass of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass, Head of Research of the Greengrass Potions Company, Head of Research and Development of Potter Corporation Potions Division, and Famed Potions Mistress and Inventor! Escorting her is Lord Cygnus Greengrass, Lord Greengrass of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass, Special Advisor to the Minister of Magic, President of the Greengrass Potions Company, Member of the Board of Directors for Potter Corporation, and Member of the Hogwarts Board of Governors!"

The ball then went into full swing. Harry noticed Mabel Velroix in a corner and made his way over to talk to her. "May I have the honor of a dance, Madam?", he asked her after greeting her in the proper pureblood fashion.

"Nice manners, Lord Potter-Black. I see you have studied.", she said approvingly.

"Well, I guess you can call an hour of torture studying Pureblood etiquette and customs for six different Houses studying...", he said, mortified. "Why were you not one of those announced? I get the impression that you are a well-known and powerful lady."

She haughtily responded. "Why, Mr. Potter, even though I am a married woman, my husband died last year. But that is not why; a lot of powerful Lords asked to escort me to the ball. The reason, Lord Potter, is because, like you, I cannot avoid being well known as a Druid, but like you, I like being Slytherin and doing things from the shadows. You like doing things from the shadows with other people as your public face, but I see you have followed my lesson to become well-known in public. You have evidently achieved that, what with owning or controlling the whole country and all. Potter Corporation is famous in Pureblood circles as a topic of discussion."

He turned red. "I was trying to prevent Voldemort from getting any money and trying to revolutionize Britain. You were correct about me being Slytherin in nature, but I could not avoid being seen in public when I bought all those stores and companies or when I took over the Wizengamot and Ministry."

Mabel nodded approvingly. "Most people didn't have a clue to your takeover of the Ministry or the Wizengamot, but they were aware of your takeover of Hogwarts and the Wizarding economy. It was a smart move to put people who support you in high positions while not taking a position yourself. Also, it was smart assigning select families to ally with others. I have noticed that most families are allied with at least one of your supporters. You have learned well."

At last, the waltz was finished, and a red-faced Harry bid Mabel Velroix farewell and rushed back to the "Potter Table", as it had been jokingly dubbed by Neville and Draco since only Council members or close friends were at the table he had reserved.

Dinner was served during the dance. The 6-course dinner consisted of a buffet of fruit dishes with in season fruit first, then a buffet of various appetizers such as meatballs and egg rolls, and then a tasty soup of meat and vegetables. Next was a small Caesar salad, then the main course, which was a fancy steak with some crab. Next was a buffet of various deserts such as various puddings, hot and cold cakes, tarts, flaming fruit, and some sort of fancy ice cream dish, accompanied with coffee and tea. Finally, there were sampler trays of various cheeses, cookies, pastries, and nuts, along with various wines and spirits. All in all, it was a very filling meal.

After dinner, the various guests began trickling onto the dance floor again, while other people socialized and talked politics. The kids and teens in their group went out to dance or walked around to play politics and socialize with others. Harry, himself, was intercepted by no less than twenty guests, wanting to talk to him or play politics. Harry made a lot of potential allies, and met even more adoring fans and random people who wanted to meet him like various ministry workers and just the general public. Finally, he made it to the dance floor, where he danced mainly with his vampire wife, but was also asked to dance by lots of older ladies and some younger girls, and even some fan-girls who almost promptly fainted after dancing with him. All in all, it was a very fun ball.

At about eleven, the guests started floating towards the Floo and Appiration points or going out to portkey to their homes. Harry and his friends were among the last to leave since Draco and Harry were engrossed in talking about business with Lord Greengrass and Lord Davis, the former owner and now Presidents of the largest potions companies in Wizarding Britain. Harry wanted to combine the two companies into one, and they were negotiating to combine them, since Harry believed that the former owners should also have a say.

When they returned home, Harry and the others stayed up discussing strategy and politics while the ladies drifted off to bed. Near the end, Draco rose up. "Oh, Harry, you will have a full schedule to the ninth going to balls and meeting various Lords and Ladies and other important people to negotiate alliances. After that, you will be meeting with PC and Hogwarts people and figuring stuff out on the business and Hogwarts end."

Harry was tired and grouchy. "What? I have to go to _more meetings and balls_? Can't I have one day of relaxation?", he groaned tiredly.

Draco smugly answered. "Yes. You have to. After that will be six days of various PC businesses opening, the first will be the Mall. You will have to be at each of the grand openings. After that you will resume full time training, this time with the other people starting training too. There will also be a Wizengamot meeting, a Council meeting, and a few Lunem meetings. You will also get some rest.", he checked his calender. "Yep, that about covers your life up until September, when school starts.", he stopped to find Harry sound asleep on the couch. "You never heard any of it, did you?", he sighed.

O0o0o0o0o0o

A/N- Well, some cameos, some revelations, and a few new things to ponder! This should keep you until next week. Well, I will only respond to reviews every few chapters, since right now they are few and far between. Please follow, favorite, and review! Also, check out my new story, the Worlds Collide!

Next Chapter- Allies, Balls, and Meetings.


	21. Meetings, Lessons, and Balls

Chapter 21- Alliances, Balls, and Parties

Over the next week, Harry had a busy week. He had so many meetings, balls, parties, alliances, and so on that he couldn't even try to remember them all. Luckily, Draco and Serena were with him at all the events, as his political advisor and consort respectively. He could, though, remember several of the more important meetings and alliances...

o0o0o0o0o0o

_World Lords Chamber, International Federation of Magic, Switzerland, August 3rd_

Harry was even more bewildered and clueless than usual. Serena and Draco had just gotten him dressed and Flooed with him here, then told him to sit here and left for the offices without another word. He was sitting in the seat marked, "Gryffindor/Peverell" and instinct told him to wait until somebody came. He was interested and frustrated that it appeared that he had yet another important seat or two on some important international council or law-making body or some such thing. He suspected it was an international body like the United Nations because the only other European seat was the Ivanov seat, which sounded eastern European. His seat on this mysterious body were the Gryffindor and Peverell seats, of which Peverell was technically also his through the Potter line, and although it too was Most Ancient and Most Noble like the Founders Houses, the family had been absorbed into the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, and the Family Ring was lost and/or turned into a Horcrux by Voldemort, according to Gringotts.

Suddenly, the room lit up and eleven people in fancy robes walked in followed by two people who looked like scribes of some sort, since they were carrying dictation quills. Harry now understood the need to be dressed in these robes- the others were also wearing them. The other people all sat in various seats, but one seat was vacant. Instead, the would-be-occupant of that seat, a man who looked vaguely American sat in a seat at the front reserved for the "Secretary-General of the Congress of the United Magical Nations", whatever that meant. Apparently this was a gathering of the hereditary portion of the Magical Congress of the UMN, and not the elected portion, based on his studies of international politics. They finished shuffling around and the session began.

"Esteemed fellow Lords and Ladies", the Secretary-General began, "Today we, the Hereditary House of the Congress of the United Magical Nations, are gathered here for our monthly meeting, and our seasonal full meeting, where all members are required to come. Today, we are here to witness the induction of our final member, one World Lord Harry James Potter, Head of the Wizarding Council of Britain, Order of Merlin, Second Class, Lord Potter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter, Lord Black of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, Lord Desamond of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Desamond, Lord Slytherin of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin, Lord Ravenclaw of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Ravenclaw, World Lord Gryffindor of the Most Noble and Most Ancient Elder House of Gryffindor, World Lord Peverell of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Elder and Founding House of Peverell, Prince and Heir to the Ramanov Vampire Throne, and Prince and Heir to the Most Noble and Royal Wizarding Throne of Pendragon. He will be representing two out of the three European seats. Lord Peverell-Gryffindor, if you please?"

Harry stood up and gave the oath, which was largely the same as the one for the Wizengamot, except with a few extra things added in.

"Excellent", the Secretary-General said. "Now, we can talk freely. I am Lord Justin Russo, the Secretary-General of the United Magical Nations. This body is the Hereditary portion of the Magical Congress; there are also elected representatives from each Magical country around the world to the Elected portion; we used to be called the International Confederation of Wizards, if that helps. My position used to be called the Supreme Mugwump and I was recently elected to replace the manipulative bastard Albus Dumbledore, who tried to claim your seats as proxy, but failed. We changed to the UMN and the Secretary-General around the end of World War II, when the Mundane UN was formed. Now, let me introduce you to each of the other World Lords and Ladies, then on to the matter of Wizarding Britain. The Lords from North America are myself and Lord Andrew Carnegie from the Magical United States, a country made up of 26 independent states that are, for the most part, self-governing except for the Department of Magic. Representatives from South America are Lord Nigel Santos from Magical Mexico and Lady Guideline Gomez from Magical Venezuela. Representatives from Europe are you from Wizarding Britain", everyone scowled at the 'Wizarding', "and Lord Viktor Ivanov from the Magical Ukraine. Representatives from Africa are Lord Indra Asaria from Magical Egypt and Lady Bahati Oduya from Magical Sahara. Representatives from Asia and Oceania are Lord Cheng Wang from the Magical East Asian Empire, Lord Sempo Yamaguchi from Magical Japan, Lord Amir Khan from Magical India, and Lady Lily Nguyen from Magical Oceania, which includes the Pacific Islands, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia. I believe that is all. Now, onto the topic of the situation in Wizarding Britain..."

The meeting covered a lot of the information Harry already knew, as well as some information he did not know. They finally reached the conclusion of observing for now, since Harry seemed to be managing the situation just fine, with the help of the Ministry, Wizengamot, and Gringotts. Suffice it to say, if Harry had not gained control over the first two, they would have been much less happy. As it was, they offered some of the best Auror trainers in the world to train the British Aurors, and Lord Russo even offered to send over the 'much more advanced' American Aurors to help in return for some 'small favors' and some 'reforms', which was to say that they would owe the Americans a lot of favors and basically allow them to reform the corrupt Purebloodist system. Needless to say, Harry politely refused.

After they, they went into other matters, like the problem of Albus Dumbledore, the former self-dubbed Leader of the Light. It was agreed that they should watch out for him, but without the Elder Wand, he was powerless compared to half the people at the meeting. Heck, the self-proclaimed 'greatest sorcerer since Merlin' wasn't even in the top ten Mages worldwide! His one power-up had been the Elder Wand. Now, anyone could defeat him, if they were powerful and determined enough. Heck, Justin Russo was as powerful as Harry, and he was only around fifth on the rankings! He wondered if that was why the Merlin Magical Index was banned in Britain as well. Better get on that. Also, there was the matter of the studies proving that interbreeding diluted magic and bringing new blood in increased it, which were also banned, as well as many other 'blasphemous' anti-pureblood books and studies...

O0o0o0o0o0o

The next day, Harry found himself in another meeting, this one with all the Muggle-raised Lord and Ladies. This time, he was the one leading the meeting.

"OK, Lords, Ladies", he started. "I am here to keep you from making a fool out of yourself while keeping a good appearance. Yes, I know, you have good manners. The thing is, Pureblood manners and etiquette is vastly different from Mundane manners and etiquette. You may think you can act the same, but I have learned otherwise. Suffice it to say that this is Pureblood Customs and Etiquette 101. I will teach you how to behave and how to act, as well as give you a crash course on customs and holidays of the Magical world. In return, you will also keep up to date on the political situation and join our voting block in the Wizengamot.

First thing we will cover is the political situation, so you don't get bored. First off, the Ministry is biased against Muggleborn. They rarely rise above clerk or secretary level. The only Muggleborn to rise beyond is Dirk here, who is head of the Goblin Liaison office because he is a natural at Gobbledygook. Next, Muggleborn and other sentient creatures have next to no rights. We're working on that. Next, the Ministry is overrun by Purebloods. Again, we're working on that. Lastly, the Ministry is inefficient because they hire dumb Purebloods over qualified Half-bloods or Muggleborn. We're working on revamping the whole hiring process to make it less discriminatory. If you side with us in the Wizengamot, we will have the power to pass any bills we feel like passing.

The thing Muggleborn people don't understand is that when they come into the Wizarding world, they think that they can force us to change to their beliefs. That is not true. Magical people just want to protect their traditions and customs. That's why we are passing the Traditions, Customs, and Values Protection Act. It satisfies the Purebloods while appeasing the Muggleborn. Muggleborn cannot just come in and try to force our world to change. Next, many are complaining that we do not have a democracy. That's because having a democracy would ruin the society. The present Theocracy is meant for the Ministry to choose leaders based on qualifications. In a democracy, people vote for who they like best, not who is the most able person. See where I'm going? That's why the muggle US is in so much debt and trouble. Also, the democratic system would completely ruin our society by bringing in people who either are Purebloodists and try to kill off everyone or are Muggleborn who try to radically change this world and make it fail.

The thing is, while most of your ideas are worth considering, a lot of them are trash. Just look at countries with those things. Corrupt, in debt, and with a lot of issues. Even the US. The Magical United States understands this, which is why it is a mixture of a theocracy and a democracy that chooses the best people for the job. Politics is a dirty game. The Magical United States is among the most respected Magical countries out there, that's how good it is at managing the government.

Next, the justice system. The thing is, while deserving the death penalty, our world is so small that we can't afford to go killing criminals left, right, and center. It's just not feasible. If we put all the criminals to death, either the Purebloodists would start a civil war, which they have, or the country would start dying out. We aren't like the mundane people, with millions of people. Every life makes a difference here.

Then, the matter of hereditary positions and seats on boards and bodies. While I feel that there should be some elected positions, most hereditary positions are there because the people taking the seat are raised from birth to take the position. Thus, they are more experienced and more wise so they will govern better. Muggleborns like you guys would make fools out of yourself, trying to learn how to behave in Pureblood society, which is one of the reasons you are here. You have heard the term 'absolute power corrupts absolutely. That's why the hereditary positions don't have absolute power, rather they have partial power. The wisdom of our ancestors has kept it this way. Most powerful positions are elected.

Next there is the matter of corruption and incompetence. When the system was devised, the Purebloodist rise to power didn't happen yet. Honestly, everyone had rights back then, but Muggleborn were brought into the Wizarding world at age 4 and the parents Obliviated. Now, it is a better system for Muggleborn, but still not perfect. Also, after the Purebloodist rise to power, the system was corrupted. After the crushing of the Purebloodists, we will have to work on getting it back to its original state, only better. There used to be courts where you had to swear that you weren't bribed or corrupt. A fair few politicians died that way. Also, most Ministry positions were based on skill, not money like today. Now, let's get on to manners, etiquette, and customs and traditions of the Magical world.

OK, first thing is manners. First off, during greetings, the men shake hands and bow to the other; if it is a girl, they kiss her hand if she allows and then greets her. If you are a girl, you hug familiar people and kiss the cheeks of unfamiliar women. Men, you allow them to kiss your hand and greet you. How to introduce yourself is as follows: Men, introduce yourself and your friends, consort, wife, etc. all individually. Use your full title, and any other honorary titles you have. Do introductions from most important to least. Women, if there is a man with you, stay quiet and let him do the introductions. If you are by yourself or with other, less important women, introduce yourself in the same fashion. After that, do the traditional greetings I told you.

Next is how to behave. You will have to have an almost arrogant posture and a confident aura to get any Lords or Ladies to trust and not look down on you...

o0o0o0o0o0o

Two hours later, Harry was done telling them all he knew about everything remotely relating to manners, etiquette, and customs. He was also successful in convincing the new Lords and Ladies to be on their side. It appeared that they now held around 80% of the total votes, all of them except the small Purebloodist faction and the faction still loyal to Dumbledore. He sat and rested while the others packed up their notes, dictation quills, and other assorted items. They slowly filed out, leaving him alone in the room. Or so it appeared.

"Great lesson, honey.", came Serena's disembodied voice from the only empty chair over in the corner. "You're a natural teacher."

"Thanks.", Harry gave a small smile. He had been attending meeting after meeting for the past week, and his voice and hand were sore. "Now, please cancel the vampire invisibility so I can actually see you." As she shimmered into view, she gave him a kiss on the lips.

"Again, great job, but we really need to prepare for the Longbottom Ball. It's only the first ball out of five Victory Balls this week.", Serena reminded him. The conflict with Grindewald had ended in August 1945, so it was Wizarding custom to celebrate the second week of August with balls, parades, and celebrations. He groaned to think what they would do when he beat Voldemort. Probably have a national holiday or Harry Potter Day or Victory over Voldemort Day or something like that. Since Halloween was already Harry Potter Day, he suspected the latter would be the name.

"Alright, darling." Holding on to his vampire wife, he walked out of the opulent meeting room and reluctantly walked towards their bedroom, dreading the torture to come that was called preparing for a ball.

O0o0o0o0o0o

The Ball was almost the same as the last, except there were more Lords and Ladies and guests invited. Also, there were speeches and celebrations remembering the downfall of Grindewald. The one thing nobody mentioned was Dumbledore's treachery. There was a scrumptous dinner, dancing, socializing, and all the things you would expect. However, Lord Greengrass stood up to make a speech.

"Fellow Lords and Ladies and esteemed Ladies and Gentlemen", he began. "We are here to celebrate the downfall of Grindewald. However, there has been a recent revelation when I was reading the Potter Family Records for some information. Let me start with some background. In 1930, Grindewald began his rise to power. He controlled a man, Adolf Hitler, and a leader, Benito Mussolini, via the Imperious curse and potions. He patiently waited while his army built up and the Nazi Party rose to power and began forming an army. He made Adolf Hitler start invading Europe in 1938, placing wizards among their ranks. In 1938, the Magical Czech Empire and Mundane Poland fell to his hand. That marked the start of the Second World War, the First Blood War for us. After that, for seven years, he conquered the whole of Europe except us, Magical Switzerland which had a formidable army, and Magical Sweden, where the ICW, now UMN was based at the time.

The Nazis killed people under the illusion of Aryan Superiority. What they were really killing for was to kill off the legendary Jewish Archmages, who dissappeared around 500 BC with the fall of Palestine to Rome. He wanted to wipe them out so he would not be challenged, and succeeded too. The Magical Jewish Race no longer survives. With that accomplished, he set out to kill all inferior people under the guise of the Greater Good, which is the line Dumbledore spouted off when he manipulated people. Ironic, isn't it?

At that time, Albus Dumbledore was also rising to power in Magical Britain. What people don't know is that Dumbledore and Grindewald were lovers. They made plans for Dumbledore to trick the Allies into surrendering and getting the Magical nations to disarm. If that had happened, Grindewald would have won. Fortunately, Dumbledore wanted to preserve his reputation, and so he supposedly dueled Grindewald in Germany and won with grievous injuries, winning the Elder Wand. That supposedly marked the end of the First Blood War.

Here's what really happened. Hadrian John Potter, Harry Potter's Great-Grandfather, was the last Battle Mage to be seen. Of course, Dumbledore wiped him from the history books, wanting to be seen as the most powerful sorcerer since Merlin. A thirty-five-year-old Hadrian Potter set out to Germany in 1945, leaving his wife and five year old son behind in Britain to hunt down Hitler and Grindewald at the orders of the ICW. He was doing it for the good of the world. He hunted down Hitler before Berlin was taken, killed him, and made it look like a suicide. He then cornered Grindewald in a rural part of Germany, near Nurmengard. They engaged in a fierce duel, and eventually Hadrian almost won because of Battle Magic. He managed to disable and knock out Grindewald. After that, he fainted because of injuries he sustained.

Dumbledore, who had been watching from the shadows, walked up and viscously killed Hadrian Potter, telling the Potters that he died because of grievous injuries while fighting Grindewald's army. He then proceeded to wake and heal Grindewald. He took his wand, the Elder Wand, and threw Grindewald into Nurmengard, his own prison, for 'the Greater Good.' He then took Hadrian's body and destroyed it, claiming that it was contagious. He went home and took all the credit for defeating Grindewald, when Hadrian Potter actually did. It was the start of his goal to kill off the Potters, a House that were the Dumbledores' mortal enemies. And that is the true story of the defeat of Grindewald. We should really be honoring Hadrian Potter, not Albus Bloody Dumbledore. In reality, lots of other things besides this have been hidden by Dumbledore over the years. I plan on writing several books based on lost history in the Potter records. Pensive memories and copies of the records will be included. All profit will go to the Hadrian Potter Foundation for Humanitarian Relief. It will give money to people impacted by the Second Blood War, the Second Voldemort War.", he finished loudly.

Everyone stood stunned except Harry and his companions. They had been the ones to find out the truth from talking to the portrait of Harry's great-grandfather Hadrian. They were trying to spread the truth about the manipulations of Albus Bloody Dumbledore while also exposing the truth. They smiled. Just imagine everyone's surprise when they learned that Dumbledore was the one to tell Tom about Horcruxes and led him on the slippery path down to being a Dark Lord. Or when they learned that Dumbledore obliviated Harry's parents and godfather and then made it seem like Sirius suggested Peter as the Secret-Keeper. In reality, the Marauders had known about Peter's treachery since 1979, but followed the mantra of 'Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.' Or when Dumbledore implanted the idea to live under the Fidelius in James' mind when Potter Family Magic could allow a person to disappears off the face of the earth while living comfortably at Potter Manor. Dumbledore was trying to kill off the Potters, and he very nearly succeeded. It had never occurred to Charlus to try and have another child and send him or her to America, where he or she could preserve the Potter line. As they said, hindsight is 20-20.

Harry and his entourage quietly made their way through the ensuing chaos and left via the Floo to Potter Manor. It was a sad day for Harry; he had lost his Great-Grandfather on this day to Albus Bloody Dumbledore.

O0o0o0o0o0o

_Truth Revealed- Hadrian Potter the Defeater-of-Grindewald?_

_By Xeno Lovegood_

_Yesterday, at the Longbottom Ball that marks the beginning of the celebrations of the Defeat of Grindewald, near the end of the festivities, Lord Cygnus Greengrass, a well known historian and potions master, stepped up to make his speech. We have the relevant portions down below._

"_At that time, Albus Dumbledore was also rising to power in Magical Britain. What people don't know is that Dumbledore and Grindewald were lovers. They made plans for Dumbledore to trick the Allies into surrendering and getting the Magical nations to disarm. If that had happened, Grindewald would have won. Fortunately, Dumbledore wanted to preserve his reputation, and so he supposedly dueled Grindewald in Germany and won with grievous injuries, winning the Elder Wand. That supposedly marked the end of the First Blood War._

_Here's what really happened. Hadrian John Potter, Harry Potter's Great-Grandfather, was the last Battle Mage to be seen. Of course, Dumbledore wiped him from the history books, wanting to be seen as the most powerful sorcerer since Merlin. A thirty-five-year-old Hadrian Potter set out to Germany in 1945, leaving his wife and five year old son behind in Britain to hunt down Hitler and Grindewald at the orders of the ICW. He was doing it for the good of the world. He hunted down Hitler before Berlin was taken, killed him, and made it look like a suicide. He then cornered Grindewald in a rural part of Germany, near Nurmengard. They engaged in a fierce duel, and eventually Hadrian almost won because of Battle Magic. He managed to disable and knock out Grindewald. After that, he fainted because of injuries he sustained._

_Dumbledore, who had been watching from the shadows, walked up and viscously killed Hadrian Potter, telling the Potters that he died because of grievous injuries while fighting Grindewald's army. He then proceeded to wake and heal Grindewald. He took his wand, the Elder Wand, and threw Grindewald into Nurmengard, his own prison, for 'the Greater Good.' He then took Hadrian's body and destroyed it, claiming that it was contagious. He went home and took all the credit for defeating Grindewald, when Hadrian Potter actually did. It was the start of his goal to kill off the Potters, a House that were the Dumbledores' mortal enemies. And that is the true story of the defeat of Grindewald. We should really be honoring Hadrian Potter, not Albus Bloody Dumbledore. In reality, lots of other things besides this have been hidden by Dumbledore over the years. I plan on writing several books based on lost history in the Potter records. Pensive memories and copies of the records will be included. All profit will go to the Hadrian Potter Foundation for Humanitarian Relief. It will give money to people impacted by the Second Blood War, the Second Voldemort War."_

_What does this mean? It means that Albus Dumbledore's fame, like Gilderoy Lockhart's, was manufactured. Dumbledore just used more lethal methods to worm his way into power. We have been idolizing the man for years, when in reality he is just another Dark Lord. It makes me wonder why that manipulative asshole wasn't sorted into Slytherin. Is it possible that he even tricked the Sorting Hat? In the end, Dark Lord Dumbledore was just like Voldemort, except more Slytherin in his methods used to gain power._

_Also, the lowly Dumbledore Family has had a grudge against the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter for centuries, since when Wulfric Dumbledore was convicted of the murder of William Potter in 1656, they lost their riches and Noble status to the Potters, who as of right now, technically have the Noble title three times over, since they also claimed the Peverell Family's Noble status in 1405, when the two families officially merged. In case our readers do not know, having the Noble status just once more, four times over, will elevate them to Most Ancient and Most Noble status, a status only the Pendragon, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, LeFey, and Ambrosius Houses currently have. As Lord Potter is currently head of four of them, and the remaining three were claimed by friends, we can safely presume that Potter will be Most Ancient and Most Noble soon, as well as possibly Black and Desamond, if he decides to claim the Malfoy, Macnair, LeStrange, and Rosier votes and Noble status which are currently in limbo until somebody claims them by conquest. As the Black and Desamond each have the Noble status two times over, they will both be elevated if our Chosen One decides to do that._

_More to come soon: What else has Dumbledore hidden from us?_

_Family Alliances: Is Lord Potter gathering allies?_

_By Tiberius Fleming, Senior Reporter_

_In a recent move, it seems that Lord Potter and his closest allies are gathering allies to form a voting block. The heads of the Houses of Longbottom, Greengrass, Weasley, Prewett, Moody, Abbott, Patil, and Bones, among others, have been recently gathering allies. If the rumors are true, the Potter Voting Block is now more than 80% of the total votes. If his allies call in their allies and so on, he controls the whole Wizengamot. This may explain the new, radical legislation that is "sure to change our world as we know it"(Lord Ogden). The block consists of all the Light families except Doge, all the Grey families except two that are in limbo (Rosier and Yaxley), and all the Dark families except around ten confirmed Death Eater families that are currently either in limbo or were claimed by the victims of the heirs of the families, such as the McKimmon and Crouch votes being claimed by the House of Longbottom, making it one step away from being a Most Ancient and Most Noble House (See cover article). What does this mean? This could change the world as we know it, and drag us kicking and screaming into the modern age. A new bill has been passed allowing the distribution of mundane inventions and innovations. I know for a fact that the companies that make potions have been driven out of business and acquired by Greengrass Potions Company, which now uses Mundane factories to mechanically produce perfect potions by the dozens, and has since combined Potions, Alchemy, and mundane Chemistry to develop better versions of a lot of potions and has also developed a lot of new ones; for instance, a cure for dragon pox and a potion that prevents many sicknesses including Wizard Fever entirely. What could come next? The quill and parchment companies being driven out of business with pen, pencil and paper? Ogden's Butterbeer and Firewhiskey being driven out by modern, mundane drinks like those made by Coca-Cola? More to come on the Wizengamot situation!_

"Great. Our plan worked!", Draco exclaimed after reading the news the following day. "Now to get you prepared for the many Board meetings, Balls, and Political gatherings you're attending the rest of this week..."

Harry did the logical thing. He groaned.

O0o0o0o0o0o

A/N- This is mainly a filler chapter, but there is a lot of essential info in it too. For the next few chapters, just assume technology and inventions are at 2016 standards. 1996 and 2006 would be way too time-consuming to research. Also, Hermione will be taking her Sophia persona in the next chapter; the other version just didn't work out.


	22. Sophia's Initiation

Chapter 22- Sophia's Initiation and the (supposed) Demise of the Grangers

Hermione, no Sophia was in her room at Potter Manor going through the final steps of boxing up her memories and placing the most dangerous ones in a locked pensive. She had been learning how to be a spy and how to be Slytherin for the past two weeks, and she found it oddly exciting and arousing. She was actually going to become a spy, like in the action movies and books. She completed the permanent removal of her glamor and looked sadly at her Hermione persona in the mirror before she did the transforming spell. "_Tollere fulgor_", she incanted, pointing her wand at herself. Her glamor fell, replaced with the slim, fit and intimidating figure that she had become over the past two weeks. If she didn't know better, she would say she was a vampire. But she knew better than to say she was a cliché vampire.

She continued preparing, changing into a black t-shirt and a black leather jacket to cover it up with black jeans and black socks. She placed the Pensive into the cabinet and locked it, then walked out and locked her door for good measure. Lastly, she checked with Harry that the Aurors were at her house under Polyjuice and that the plans were in place. All was ready, so she was clear to leave.

She walked down to the sitting room, where Severus was waiting. He stood up and walked to the Floo without a word. He proceeded to guide her through the Floo and they Flooed to Spinner's End before Severus went to his bedroom and changed int his Death Eater robes. All without a word. Even the Flooing was done with only a mumbled, "Spinner's End". She understood. This was very important, and Professor Snape was just trying to rein in his emotions. Finally, he came back and spoke. "Are you ready, Sophia?"

"I'm ready for anything", she stated somewhat haughtily. She had been training and this haughty voice was somewhat of a habit now.

"OK", Snape answered rather uneasily. "Hold onto me and we will portkey to Riddle Manor."

She gripped his arm and they dissappeared in a swirling blue light.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

They appeared at Riddle Manor and walked inside. The inside of the Manor was a late-19th century building with walls decorated with paintings, artifacts, and assorted weapons. Sophia looked around, fascinated by the Manor's furnishings and décor. They walked down the huge entrance hall, down the main hallway, and left towards a huge wooden door that presumably led to a chamber or hall. Snape eased open the door and walked in, gesturing at Sophia to wait. She waited in front of the doors in the sitting room off of it, looking around with her special contacts that had an x-ray function and memorizing every detail she could remember, including any escape routes and hindrances to escape. There were a lot of details to remember, since it was a large manor with lots of halls, doors, and rooms. Luckily, she had an eidetic memory, due to the unlocked magical abilities she had gained after the revelation of her true heritage.

She wondered what Snape was saying inside the chamber. Probably making his normal report about Hogwarts, Dumbledore escaping, and other things and telling Voldemort about her and finding her when the American branch of the Black family (which was a real family, but was a Light family) contacted Hogwarts to enroll her in Hogwarts. She shifted uneasily. She had been raised to not lie, only to find out that her whole life was a lie. She wondered if she could get a muggle bomb dropped on this building or if it was too unfeasible. It would certainly end the war for the most part and kill a lot of

Death Eaters. But there were the Horcruxes to consider.

Ten minutes later, Snape eased the door open and gestured for her to come in. She walked in slowly, half dreading and half anticipating. The chamber was dimly lit with torches and felt like the throne room of some king, a cliché Dark Lord's chambers. She walked up the chamber to the throne-like chair on a pedestal in the back and knelt with a feeling of disgust, bile rising in her throat. She would normally never kneel in front of this inhuman creature, but she had to keep her cover as Voldemort's daughter. She kissed the disgusting robes and looked up. "Father", she murmured. She was extremely nauseated and couldn't wait to wash her mouth out.

"Rise, my daughter", Voldemort commanded. She rose and stood in front of Voldemort's throne-like chair.

"Yes, Father?", she asked, suppressing her feelings and emotions.

"Snape has informed me for the most part about how he found you and what he knows. Tell me about your life until now. Then I will decide whether to put you under Bella's care or make you my third-in-command.", Voldemort commanded.

Sophia then proceeded to tell Voldemort the 'story' of her life. "Well, father, I was sent to the United States after I was born in '79. There, I was raised by the American branch of the Black Family. They are sympathetic to your cause and trained me in leadership, espionage, the Dark Arts, intelligence and counter-intelligence, information gathering, infiltration, terrorism, general Magic such as Transfiguration and Charms, Defensive Magic, Duelling, Battle Magic, and Pureblood customs and etiquette. I feel that I will do best as a spy or an assassin. If you don't know, an assassin is a special person that kills people without a trace, usually leaving a note or something that is their signature. I feel that I would do good as either, but not at blunt force magic. I prefer cunning and subtlety to brute force, since brute force loses against intelligence almost every time. After my extensive training, I was sent here to attend Hogwarts as a transfer for sixth year as a spy to gather information for the Dark forces in America, which are by now almost nonexistent due to the better government there. I contacted Severus when I arrived, told him everything since he was a loyal Death Eater, and he took he here to meet you and Mother."

Voldemort pondered her diatribe. She was better trained than any of his Death Eaters, some areas even better than himself, from what he had heard of her dialogue. And her Occlumency barriers were solid as steel, even better than Snape's. She had lowered her barriers for him to tell that she was not lying, but he cold tell that her barriers were extremely dangerous and filled with traps. He thought that his daughter could be an assassin. Since he already had a gifted spy in Snape, she could be an assassin. But something told him to assign her as both, since she obviously had the talents for both. He would win in a second if all his Death Eaters were this good.

He carefully spoke. "My daughter, you will be our spy in Hogwarts. At the same time, you will attack high-profile targets and eliminate them. Your test and first job will be to torture and kill off the Mudblood Granger and her family. You will torture and kill the Mudblood and her family tonight and then report back tomorrow, when Snape will pick you up from your current lodgings. If you pass, you will be the first Dagger and you will help train Bella and Severus to be Daggers also. I am going to keep the Daggers as an assassination force and make them very small since we will only need a few assassins who are true Slytherins. You will be branded with a new version of the Dark Mark that is undetectable and can be hidden when and if you succeed. Now, you may go."

"Thank you Father. I will not disappoint you in this." Sophia then turned and walked out the door to where Severus was waiting. She gave him a small nod and they left, Severus portkeying back to Hogwarts while she walked out of the Manor and Apparated to the Leaky Cauldron, then back to Potter Manor. The plan was working to perfection. Nobody suspected a thing.

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Sophia appeared silently in her own backyard. She walked quietly around the hedges and bushes to the back door, but hesitated. She wasn't sure about this. She finally decided that it was sadly necessary for her cover to be kept. She quickly snuck into the back door on the patio and disabled the alarm system with the pass code she had memorized. She then moved like a cat down the hallway to her own bedroom. She eased it open quietly and observed the scene before her.

An exact lookalike of Hermione Granger was in the bed in her bedroom, sleeping peacefully. She raised her wand and incanted. "_Crucio clamatis_" the Polyjuiced Auror woke up and screamed while writhing on the bed. It looked like the Cruciatus and had the same appearance, except it did not cause pain; instead, it temporarily caused screaming. She held the curse for five minutes and then let go and incanted, "_Avada Simulare_" A flash of green light and the Hermione look-alike was on the ground, dead. Or so it appeared. There was no heartbeat and no pulse, but it was just the spell for the Drought of Living Death. She quickly left, nauseated at torturing and killing herself, even if it was just a simulation of the real thing.

She walked slowly down the hall to the Master Bedroom. She eased open the door and stepped into the familiar room. She then proceeded to do the same thing she did to 'herself' to her 'parents' (Polyjuiced Aurors). She left a note on the kitchen table stating, "_Voldemort and his allies and agents have the power to make all suffer. Surrender and we shall have mercy on you. Fight and you shall die. The Sorceress Assassin of Mudbloods is on the loose. Fear for your lives, Mudbloods and Blood Traitors. -The S.A.o.M."_ She left the cryptic note on the table and crept out, reactivating the security system as she left and locking the doors to make it look like nothing was wrong. She then Apparated to Potter Manor to get some sleep before the next morning.

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_Granger Family Brutally Killed by Assassin of Mudbloods!_

_By Luna Lovegood_

_Dear readers, it is time to mourn the passing of yet another great family. The Grangers and their daughter Hermione, a friend of mine and the smartest witch of the age, were brutally killed by a person only known as the Sorceress Assassin of Blood. She left a note that went like this: "Voldemort and his allies and agents have the power to make all suffer. Surrender and we shall have mercy on you. Fight and you shall die. The Sorceress Assassin of Mudbloods is on the loose. Fear for your lives, Mudbloods and Blood Traitors. -The S.A.o.M." This means that there is a new foe out there, a force to be reckoned with. Sources speculate that it may be Bellatrix Lestrange, but this is both too subtle for her work and the initials do not match. The Ministry is currently investigating and the bodies of the deceased have been turned over to the next of kin. Here is what we know about this new assassin: _

_-It is a woman because of the 'Sorceress' part._

_-She is a Slytherin woman because of the subtlety and cunning used in the assassination._

_-She is a force to be reckoned with; Aurors detected Sorceress level magic._

_-She is a literal Sorceress because of the high-level magic used._

_-She is an ally of Voldemort and is a Blood Purist._

_-She is from an old Pureblood family. (Most likely)._

_-She is a teenager? Evidence indicates that the footprints were that of a teenager._

_She is a force to be reckoned with. Last night, at the Granger home, she made it in, tortured them, and killed them, all without alerting the Aurors in the front of the house for their protection or tripping the Muggle security system, which is charmed to resist disabling and freezing charms. I personally want to suggest that all Mundane-born and 'Blood Traitor' families upgrade or get new wards for their house. I know that Gringotts has provided my home with very potent wards, which stopped an attack on my home, since both Hermione and I were part of the Ministry Seven that defeated 11 Death Eaters in June. I suspect that the Ministry Seven are being targeted and then Muggleborn and then the Half-bloods. Again, I urge everyone to get some wards for their homes. More to come soon, incuding a biography and eulogy of Hermione Granger._

"Well", Sophia wryly said, "It really is ironic to be reading the notice of death of myself in the newspaper. I guess that means Hermione Ganger is truly dead and I will have to live as Sophia Black for the rest of my life."

Everyone laughed. Harry spoke up. "Well, we can always bring you back from the dead using my legendary powers from the fictional books about me. I wonder how the public will react to the fact that Sophia Black is Hermione Granger? We've gotten used to you being Sophia, that if you started living as Hermione again, it would just be weird."

Everyone choked on their food. Harry had really timed it well, saying it when as many people were chewing as possible. Suddenly, Snape Apparated into the room. "Sophia, we need to go. The Dark Lord saw the news and is summoning you. Quickly, we don't have much time!"

Sophia ran up the stairs and prepared, changing into black clothes and resealing her memories into the pensive, then the same with the double locks. She got up and down in five minutes, her usual time. Snape grabbed her arm and they portkeyed to Spinner's End, and then a number of places around Scotland and Wales to prevent tracing their Apparation signature. They finally arrived at the gates of Riddle Manor after taking what Moody would call a 'circuitous route' and quickly made their way inside.

When they finally got inside and to the 'Throne Room', as it was nicknamed by Snape, Snape glanced at her briefly. She nodded. She had a bunch of equipment concealed on her, like a shielded Muggle voice recorder, a revolver with ten bullets, three knives, two extra wands, and some of Fred and George's Instant Darkness Powder. It was all she could carry without risking being caught, since today she was wearing a black jacket over everything to conceal her equipment. She would likely not need it, but in the event she was exposed, well, let's just say that knives and guns are much more accurate and lethal than wands.

She walked into the throne room and walked up to Voldemort. "Father", she murmured, kneeling down. She had attempted to stifle her feelings of loathing and disgust, since it would only hinder her.

"Rise, Sophia", commanded Voldemort. "I have read about your adventure in the Daily Prophet. You were successful in assassinating them and leaving no trace, except for the note, which was a good move. It will strike fear into the hearts of the Mudbloods and Blood Traitors. I now consider you worthy of receiving the Mark, and I have seen your skills for myself. You will be the first of the Daggers and train Bella and Severus to be Daggers. Speaking of which, later you will meet your mother and talk to her. You will need to get to know her. She will be the person who will help you and be your contact when you are spying. She will be the one to take care of your day to day needs, though I am sure you will be able to take care of yourself."

"You will be branded with the Mark and then you will go meet Bella and get some rest. After that, you will go out on an assignment to Knockturn Alley to retrieve some much-needed potions, and at the same time visit Gringotts and access the Lestrange, Black, and Gaunt vaults and any others you have access to and retrieve some money and some tomes I have need of. You will also set up a personal vault with one billion galleons inside it in the name of Sophia Black. Lastly, you will request emancipation, as you are the last member of the House, and are therefore eligible to become Lady LeStrange, Lady LeFey, Lady Slytherin, and a few others you are to claim, such as Malfoy and Nott. You will request that the Malfoy and Nott Houses be dissolved into LeStrange, and if it is possible, wrangle control of the Black House from Potter. You are the rightful Heir and will claim that House. Because of that, you will only go on one assassination about every week, but will mainly spy on Potter, act as my source within the Wizengamot, and keep a low profile. You will only be called for a mission when the target is relatively important. We cannot risk having you get caught and exposed. The assassinations you do wil mainly be connected to Bellatrix, as you will not have a visible Dark Mark and the note left will be in Bellatrix's writing. That is all. Come forward, Sophia.", after his long diatribe, he beckoned towards Sophia and she stepped forward with anticipation on her face.

"Sophia, my daughter and Heiress, I give you the honor of carrying my mark, the Dark Mark, as a sign of loyalty to me and our cause. It will be removed when you become leader in thirty years, when my time will grow short. You are the Dark Lady, the Sorceress of Evil, the Great Heir of Morgana. Carry my mark with pride and honor always, and be honored to serve me.", he finished his talking and hissed several spells in Parseltongue, one of which was a variant of the Protean Charm specific to one person, so Voldemort could only summon one or summon his whole army, or some combination thereof. A tingling feeling crawled up her forearm, when suddenly she gripped her forearm and leaned on the throne-like chair for support. Voldemort let her lean on it, not what you would expect of a Dark Lord. He waited until she stopped gripping her forearm and stood up. A Dark Mark had appeared on Sophia's arm and was hot red currently. Before her eyes, it faded, hidden, so that only she knew it was thee and could make it appear. She tentatively tried making it appear and disappear several times. It did so with a small tingling sensation. She looked up with a look of false joy at Riddle.

She breathed, "Thank you, Father, it is the best moment of my life to finally enter your ranks. I will always faithfully serve you. May I leave to the upper level to meet Mother?"

The Dork Lord nodded. "Go, Sophia. I will summon you when your presence is required."

Sophia couldn't get out of there fast enough. But she had to keep up appearances, so she walked casually out of the room and upstairs to the Lady's Suite, a suite smaller then the Master Suite but still luxurious for a manor like this. It was where Bellatrix Lestrange lived and worked. She knocked and went in.

She was immediately smothered by a pair of tight arms, crushing her in a hug. She could tell that Bellatrix was also feeling for concealed weapons, but she let her. When the hug finally was over, she noticed that Bellatrix had cleaned up recently. She looked like the seventeen-year-old beauty that she used to be, nothing like the photos of her with wild hair and a crazy face. It was oddly comforting.

"Sophia! You're finally here! I was starting to wonder if you had gotten to Gringotts or not, or if you had somehow not gone!", she began, in an emotional voice. Then her voice turned businesslike, but still loving. "Sophia, you have one wand in your pocket, two other wands in ankle holsters, three knifes in concealed pockets on your waist, a revolver concealed in your jacket, a box-like recording device, and a packet of some powder inside, correct?"

Sophia was astounded. "How did you know? It was hidden so well that nobody could feel it."

Bellatrix laughed, a sweet and melodious sound. "Why Sophia dear! Did you ever wonder where your natural spying skills came from? I make myself out to be a torturing maniac, but I am actually probably even more sneaky and cunning than Slytherin himself. Here, listen to this: I have concealed on or around me three revolvers, two pistols, a submachine gun, two rifles, several grenades, some explosives, ten extremely lethal knives, several bottles of pepper spray, several cans of tear gas, a few packets of Instant Darkness Powder, several extra wands that fit well, an emergency escape bag with some of the equipment inside and three day's worth of clothes, a few magical artifacts that aid escape, and large supplies of various potions. Can you see any of them? No? I have hidden them well, but within easy access. You see, I have made several small openings in the wall that blend in with everything else but that open at my magical signature. I store everything in those except some things like the escape bag and guns. Those I put in compartments in the floor. As for the ones on my person, I expand my pockets on my robes and my clothes under to be bottomless and featherlight, like those bags you see. I can keep guns and equipment in there and it still looks like nothing is in there. I will teach you all three methods to you later to use. Using the normal method you use is easy to detect; I could tell immediately that you were hiding things. By the way, Snape also does the same thing, except his equipment is all in his pockets, which are charmed so that only he can access them."

"OK. Now that that is done with, let's get some personal time. When did you get the Gringotts letter, and what has happened since?", Bella finished, having cast a variety of silencing and secrecy spells while they were talking.

"Well, it all started with me and my adoptive parents going to live at Potter Manor...", Hermione began. She kept talking for the better part of an hour, describing Dumbledore's manipulations, the letter she had received, the meeting at Gringotts, her reaction to the news, the Lunem meetings, the Wizengamot meetings, training, and so on. Finally, an hour later, she finished. "..and then Professor Snape brought me here again and he talked to me for a while and branded me with the Dark Mark. Who would willingly be branded like cattle? Thank goodness I know how to hide it and remove it when the time comes. After that, he gave me some commands, like to visit Diagon and Knockturn Alley for some errands. Do you suppose we can get some of that equipment you mentioned? Where on earth will we get a submachine gun?"

Bella smiled indulgently. "Some traits can never be changed. I suggest you try and stop babbling when you are nervous. Yes, I will accompany you to Diagon Alley. I am secretly a Metamorphmangus. It is one of my best kept secrets; most of the women in the Black Family have the talent, though only some go public with it, like my niece Tonks. I will be under disguise and since I got a pardon pending a trial, I cannot be arrested since I have agreed to turn myself in at the end of the war, like you and Snape have. Inside Gringotts, while my natural form will be revealed, nobody will notice, since the goblins have notice-me-not charms set up for wealthy clients, except for extremely important people like Harry Potter. I will tell you where to get all of that semi-legal and illegal equipment later. Suffice it to say that I have a few contacts in the Muggle world. Now, let's go, shall we?" She got up and started to prepare to leave, Sophia in tow.

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A/N- This was a hard chapter to write, because I don't know anything about girls and how they think. I also was originally going to add more detail, but decided against it. Next chapter will return to Harry's life and time-line; it will be about Potter Corporation, meetings with various people, and the stores and other things opening, and some other things. It will be around May 10 before I can get it up, though. Sorry, but I have exams soon. Please follow, fav, and review! -Michael

Posted May 1, 2014


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